Good or Bad News First?
by Ichininmae
Summary: Malon had to decide, good or bad news first, did she pick the wrong one?
1. Chapter 1

A/U; Okay there is some things you need to know before reading. First; this story came to me after reading "Smash-n-Mash's story To Meet Again" you should really read that one. But this story is different from "To Meet Again" on very many levels, and if you read it you'll see that too. Second; This story takes place sometime after Ocarina of Time meaning that Link already saved Hyrule. The only difference's that I've described Castle Town a little as it was in Twilight Princess. Third; My English grammar may not be so perfect (I'm not born in America but I live there now) so if you find something wrong just tell me and I'll fix it. Yeah I guess that was everything. But if you have a question or something just drop a review.

So enjoy guys, I hope you'll like this one!

Oh right; I don't own anything, Nintendo on the other hand owns everything - except for Kayla, her I own, no stealing, copyright!

* * *

"C'mon, c'mon!"

Malon felt how someone started to pull the sheet, so naturally Malon pulled the white sheet to her chin preventing who ever it was from pulling it of off her. "Go away," she mumbled.

It got quiet, and Malon felt how the excerpted sheet loosened so with all of her strength Malon opened one of her azure blue eyes meeting the sight of a child no more then six years of age.

Malon sat up and brushed away her red hair. "Kayla." Malon felt how the tiredness dripped from her soar eyes and how a yawn threatened to escape her lips, but she decided to ignore it. "What are you doing here?"

"You were going to be late." Malon noticed how Kayla's eye widened and her bottom lip shivered. She was near tears.

"Oh honey." Malon lifted the white sheet and motioned for Kayla to come sit next to her, which she carefully did, and leaned her back against Malon's chest.

Malon wrapped her right arm around Kayla's small frame and with her left hand she brushed through Kayla's hair, which Malon knew Kayla adored. After all, that was how they spent every night. "I would never miss this. It has been on my 'to do list' for a whole month now."

Kayla tilted her head so she could get eye contact with the young woman and Malon could see that her lip shivered still. "Really?" A sob made it through Kayla's so usually high spirit sending a cold chill down Malon's back.

"Really," Malon said, giving her an assuring smile. "Now go get ready, and I'll be right behind you."

"You promise?" Kayla asked as she, with her newly filled energy shot herself of the bed and now looked down at Malon with sparkling sapphire blue eyes.

"I promise."

Malon watched how Kayla flashed her smiled and raced out of the room with her white nightgown fallowing her closely. She was so radiant even Malon had to chuckle.

But as reality finally caught up with her Malon had to force her eyes to look away from the door Kayla just raced out of and Malon pushed herself out of bed too.

Malon was no morning person, at least not anymore. There was a time when she would wake up at five a clock to actually have the time she needed to tend to the ranch. But ever since her father decided he was going to turn another leaf and start to work again, there was very little left for Malon to do, and she constantly found herself daydreaming of something totally different.

And of course that happened.

Malon slammed her wardrobe door shut. "_There was no point in self pity. Nobody liked a whiner._"

When Malon finally got dressed she began walking towards the kitchen since she knew that she could find both Kayla and Talon there. They were always there at this time a day.

Kayla was the one that announced Malon's presence as soon as she sat a foot inside the kitchen doors. "Hi mommy," she yelled trying to overdo the sounds that Talon made as he looked for something in the cabinets under the sink.

"God morning, again," Malon said as she sited herself next to Kayla. "What is he doing?" She pointed with one of her slender fingers at Talon's blue rear.

Kayla started to titter like a three year old and her cheeks were dotted with red, which she usually got when she was overly happy. "I dared grandpa to do pancakes." She started to jump up and down in her seat and clapping her hands in delight. "I told him he couldn't make pancakes and then he just laughed and he hasn't poked his head out of that cabinet ever since."

"Ah." Malon nodded in understandingly, as her eyes lightly hung on Talon's behind.

Talon had always been on Malon's back about grandkids. He would at all times say something, as if he tried to point her into the right direction. "Have you given any thoughts about kids, Malon darling?", "Malon you're sixteen years of age don't you think it time you found a suitable young man to settled down with and start planning for your future?", "Malon, I don't know how long I have left in this life and I like to rest peacefully knowing that you have someone that can take care of you and the ranch."

He always thought Malon wanted what other girls her age wanted. They would always dream about, planning for the perfect wedding, marrying a gorgeous man in a tux, having three children and living happily ever after. But Malon didn't need a man to make her life feel complete. All she needed was to know that she was going to live on the ranch, and that everyone Hyrule over liked her milk so she could continue her deliveries. That was enough for Malon. But once she became aware of Kayla, Malon's dreams started to kick off. She started to dream about a bigger house, children laughing, and marrying _that _handsome man in a tux. But of course life had something else in store for her. Something Malon never found any peace in. Something she dearly wanted to change, but never had the courage to.

But someone that didn't change was Talon. As soon as he laid eyes on Kayla he treasured her higher then the goodness' themselves. He did everything for her, pancakes included. And that made Kayla somewhat spoiled – well as spoiled as she could get being that she was a farmer's daughter.

"Mommy? Do you really like grandpa's rear that much?" Kayla asked as she held a hand over her thin lips, trying to prevent a laugh bubbeling dangerously near her mouth.

Malon jerked out of her thoughts and meet Kayla's laughing eyes. "Nah," she said playfully, "Not even near as much as I love yours."

"Mom!" Kayla yelled felling how hot her cheeks became.


	2. Chapter 2

As time came and went Hyrule Castle Town increased, from the time when Kakariko Village and Castel Town decided to become one town nearly six years ago. It made delivering from Lon Lon Ranch much easier now that the ranch wasn't so far of from civilization anymore.

It took practically fifteen minutes to travel from Lon Lon to Castle Town, and it became very easy for Malon to make every delivery there, hence she didn't need to pack everything the day before and worry about forgetting something at home once she lastly left, and so with a good conscience she could leave Kayla behind with Malon's father and not fret about how long she's been gone and think about if Kayla missed her all too much.

But even though much of her stress related to all of that, she missed the length between Castle Town and Lon Lon Ranch, because Malon loved to just get out of the household sometimes. Hence blaming her late arrival on the lenght between the two places was something Malon did often.

She loved to feel how the wind caressed her cheek and toyed with her hair. Now everything just felt like more of an obligation then a relaxing trip.

"Mom, snap out of it!"

Malon blinked for a mere minute before turning her head over to the seat next to her in the cart dragged by Ortiz, her favorite horse next to "_Epona_"

Malon felt a pang in her heart as she thought about her favorite horse. It had gone six years since she last saw that wonderful horse, and after all that time she'd become a taboo, like someone else Malon used to know.

"Snap out of what sweetie?" Malon asked and tightened the grip around Ortiz's reins scared that Kayla might ask what she was thinking of.

But Malon only received by Kayla shrugging shoulders. "I dunno," she confessed, but before she could continue saying anything else her eyes saw something Malon could not and the silence grew for a while, before Kayla lost what had entranced her and she said: "What ever it is that have been occupying you for two days." She showed Malon two of her fingers which strengthened her saying.

Malon laughed for a second. "Which six year olds says words like 'occupying'?"

Kayla snorted and placed her hands in a cross over her chest. "Every since you started to."

"Touché," Malon said while smiling and pulled Kayla into a one arms hug.

"So did you listen to what I told you?" Kayla asked once her mother had taken her arm away and placed it back in her lap. "I mean I did ask you some serious things mom."

Malon forked an eyebrow as she thought about what Kayla said. "But you told me about your grandfather and how many pancakes you ate."

"No, no, no." Kayla shook her head so hard that Malon thought it was a miracle that all her fire red hair still was intact. "It was ages ago I told you about that."

"But Kayla," Malon said as her head darted between her daughter and the road. "That must have been five minutes ago. Because I remember that you talked about it as you help me load the wagon with the surplice."

"That was what I said, ages ago."

Malon forced back laughter and merely nodded at her daughters saying. "Okay, it was ages ago. Can you please re-tell me what you said before then, sweetie?"

Kayla sighed as to show her disliking the idea of re-telling everything, but finally caved in. "Okay, I asked you if it really was necessary for me to go to school. I mean you didn't and you turned out okay, right?"

Malon gave Kayla an assuring smile. "Yes Kayla, I like to think that I 'turned out' okay. But I thought this was what you wanted? I mean this morning you sounded very positive about going to school. It was even required of me to go up two hours earlier then what was said."

"I know." Kayla gave Malon an unsure smile. "It's just that it felt like an eternity before we where getting into the wagon. But now that we're here…"

"You're getting cold feet?"

Kayla shrugged her shoulders. "I'm having second thoughts anyhow."

"But Kayla." Malon laid an arm around her daughter. "Queen Zelda invented school a year ago, helping children like you to read, write and count, something I had to learn from your grandfather. Not many children were so lucky and I'm very grateful that he taught me that. And now Queen Zelda is giving more people that chance. People like you. And I promise you that our queen would never do something that would turn out to be bad now would she?"

"I guess not."

"Of course not. Kayla you have nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be okay. You'll see. And besides, I'm going to be in town working, meaning that I will be close to you all day."

"Your right mom." Kayla tossed herself at her mother and planted a kiss on her cheek. "You're the best mother ever."

XxXxXx

After Malon had dropped Kayla off at the very well built and beautiful school, she started her delivery by first checking the list her dad made for her the day before. Her eyes skimmed over every familiar name. Well she didn't know them personally but she knew all the names. Especially since most of them were 'regulars' if she dared to call them that. She got a hold of an ink pen in the front pocket of her purple working skirt and started to gently tap the pen on the disk the paper laid on as her eyes met a _very _familiar name, Anju.

For her delivery it was more convenient if she got to Anju's house first. But privately it wasn't so convenient. Her dad had always told her never to mix business with pleasure. But that was exactly what she'd done – without really knowing it.

Anju was one of Malon's best friends. Link – her other best friend at the time – knew of a man named Kafei, by some unknown reasons to Malon, but Link'd told Malon that Kafei had a crush on a girl that Link knew Malon would like, and since she was in need of friends, she eagerly accepted.

Anju was a very nice person. She was allergic to cucco's, and Malon was more then happy to help her out since she loved animals. It was just Link who never liked cucco's.

She would always go to Anju and help her out for a small fee. Even though Malon never accepted any kind of money Anju would give her, Anju wouldn't hear of it and nearly tossed the money on her. Anju's cucco pen soon became there regular meeting spot, and Malonhad without realizing it mixed business with pleasure, yet again.

Malon sighed out loud. That had been roughly six years ago. Now Anju would either, ask her how she's done over the years, or kick her sorry behind. Probably the latter – that's what she'd done.

She just had to swallow her pride for this one.

Fist knock … nobody opened … second knock … heard some movements … a shaky third knock and the door opened, revealing a beautiful woman in her late twenties with a washed-out man's shirt. Not even that could hide her huge abdomen. Malon guessed Anju was in her 7th or 8th month.

Both women looked at each other with mouths big enough to fit an oversized melon. But it was Anju who found the words first.

"Malon?" The voice held no anger, only pure shock. "I though I would never see you again!"

Malon sighed inwardly, thankful about the fact that her friend hadn't turned on her. She gave Anju a bright smile. "I didn't think I was going to see you either."

"You have to come in," Anju said and took a steady hold of Malon's shoulder. "I have to know what you've done!" She sounded so overly thrilled that Malon didn't have the heart to turn her down.

XxXxXx

"So," Anju placed a cup filled to the brim with herbtea in front of Malon and sat down on a chair herself. "Tell me, what have you done with yourself?"

"I was just going to ask the same question," Malon said as she took her cup, trying to lead Anju of the main subject of herself. "Is this your first one?" She did a gesture making Anju place a hand on her stomach.

"Oh no," she said. "Kafei are crazy about kids. This is my third."

Malon sat, the worm tea she'd just taken a sip from, in her throat and started to cough violently. She tried to cover it with her hand forcing it to die down but to no avail. "Sorry," Malon finally mumbled as the coughing had gone away. "I just got so shocked. I mean when I first met you, you didn't even have any plans on marrying. Cucco's were your passion, your life.

"No worries," Anju said as she waved her hand. "Cucco's are my passion, but so are Kafei and he wanted kids. He loves kids and I can't say I'm not fond of them myself." She got a hold of the blue cup she'd taken out for herself and forked an eyebrow. "How about you, honey? Last time I saw you, you were ranting on about wanting kids and finally _marring_ Link. How did all that turn out for you?"

Malon sucked slightly on her lower lip and watched as Anju poured some tea into her own teacup and brought it to her lip. She blew on it carefully before taking a small sip.

"I don't know," she at long last admitted.

Anju blinked at her. "What do you mean, 'you don't know'? Last time I saw you, was about six years ago and you looked as happy as ever. And when you left shortly after telling me about your day, you didn't return." She placed down her cup and took Malon's pale hand. "Malon," she said, "walk me through it. Tell me what happened."

Malon pulled way her hand from Anju's wonderful warmth and shook her head. "I don't have the time." She mumbled and stood up. "I have a lot of delivering that needs to be done. But thank you for the tea, it meant a lot."

Anju too stood up and grabbed Malon's arm. "Listen Malon, sweetie, whatever happened you can tell me, I'm on your side, remember?"

Malon nodded and walked over to the door. "Yeah I know," she said. "And I'm glad you're saying it, because one of these days I'm going to use just that card. But for now, it was wonderful to see you again Anju. I hope everything works out for you. I really do."


	3. Chapter 3

A young child with bright red hair and sparkling sapphire blue eyes sat on the stones surrounding a big fountain in the middle of Castle Town with her small legs dangling back and forth in pace with the humming coming from her mouth.

The young girl was very hungry and quietly wished for her mother to show up from her delivering job, which she knew was very important for her mother's ranch, since not so many came to the ranch that often, it was the only way they could ever get money.

She sighed out of boredom, and carefully stood up. Her mother had always told her to never leave their meeting spot, which was by the fountain, until she arrived. But Kayla had been in the same place for nearly one hour now, and she could sit still no longer. She needed some sort of adventure or she was going to burst.

Her eyes scanned the surroundings, and she started mumbling to herself. A small whisper suddenly increased into a laughing game as the young girl spun around making her emblem green dress whirl around her.

"Iny, Meeny, Miney, Mo." The young girl laughed as she let her words decide which path she was going to take and stopped to spin as her finger pointed towards one of the many paths. Then started to walk in that direction, ignoring all people that had stopped to look at her odd behavior.

"_Have that girl no mother?"_ One woman with a small pig nose asked one of her female friends.

The female friend nodded her head and whispered "_I've heard that, that young girl's mother is that brat Melon. You know from that ranch, Long Long Ranch or one thing or other."_

"_Oh no darling." _Another woman with long brown hair and wrinkly face joined the chat. _"It's _Malon _not Melon, and I've heard that the father of the child left her as soon as he found out about her pregnancy."_

"_But that's not what I heard."_ The first woman announced. _"I heard that she got raped at a very young age, and that the she brought shame on the whole family after that. And that young child was awfully ill treated by her sick mother."_

"_Poor girl." _All the women agreed as they watched the laughing girl pass them by without as much as a glance.

"_I guess some women never should be mothers." _They all nodded in agreement.

XxXxXx

Kayla stopped as apples and bread filled her eyes, she was surprized and yet amazed by their sizes, there were piles in vaste amounts and she couldn't help but let out a small giggle. Her luck had made her run into one of the things she wanted the most, food. How great wasn't that?

But the worst thing was that she didn't have any money. Her hands went through her front pockets of the dress and came out empty except for a small note her teacher had written for her mother to read. Everyone had gotten the same note saying something about needing one of the parent's signatures in order for Kayla to receive homework and such. She placed the note back with a defeated sigh. What was she going to do now?

Her legs brought her up to one of all the stands, and she watched the big, wonderful red apples. "Excuse me sir?" Her voice was barely above a whisper and the owner of the stand had a hard time to hear her.

"What was that miss?" He brought a hand up to his ear and bent down to hear her a little better

Kayla blushed. No one except her grandpa and mother had called her miss. It made her feel so grown up. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I said, excuse me sir, but how much does one apple cost?"

The man looked at her with big brown eyes and his hand went through his black hair once before he answered. "Well, the red once you see here," the man pointed at the basket filled with the red apples Kayla had her eyes on just before talking to the man. "They are 6 rupees."

"6 rupees!" Kayla echoed. "How can an apple cost so much!"

The man shrugged his shoulders. "That's life kid. Come back with your father and I'm sure we can make a deal, but until then," he waved his hand at Kayla as a gesture for her to scram and gave his attention to another customer.

Kayla snorted and placed her hands in a cross over her chest. "Men are no nice," she said underneath her breath. She told herself that she would tell her mother how mean that guy'd been towards her and she knew her mother would rush down to just this stand and scole the man for his weird behavior, like she'd done a thousand times before when someone wasn't treating Kayla nicely.

But Kayla wanted to give the man a lesson right now. She didn't want that man to think he could get way with anything, even just for a second.

Her eyes meet the sweet looking red apples, and came up with an idea.

Kayla placed her hands in her front pockets and hummed a song she knew all to well. The one song her mother sung to her every night. She slowly made her way towards the big basket. It was easy for her to reach the basket unseen by the nasty pig man since he was busy with another woman buying some of his green apples. It was actually the next part that was hard.

Kayla had never stolen anything in her life. She didn't have the nerves for it. "_But it is for a good cause!_" She told herself over and over again as her shaky hand went over to the one apples that was nicely placed on the top.

Her hand grabbed on to it and she made a run for it.

Her dress flew like a bird behind her as she zigzagged into a huge wave of people. She could only hear her heart as it pounded hard in her chest and she could only feel the hard apple as it burned in her hand.

She'd actually done it! _Kayla_ had actually stolen an apple!

Kayla stopped as she rounded a corner, finally letting herself catch some breath and look at the apple she stole. Yes, it still lied in her hand.

"It was for a good cause!" Kayla mumbled as she leaned her sweaty forehead on a cold stone wall. "You had to do it, that nasty pig man deserved it! And besides nobody saw you do it."

"Now there is where you're wrong."

A man's voice came up from behind her and she could feel two strong hands place themselves underneath her arms and lifting her off the ground.

"Hey, let me go!" Kayla yelled on the top of her lungs as she tried to struggle herself out of the man's grip. "You can't do this!"

The man didn't answer. Instead he sat her down on the closest of barrels and let his arms drop to his sides.

Kayla glared into the man's sapphire blue eyes. "I'm going to tell mother what you just did – and she won't be happy!" She pouted in an angry manner bringing a small chuckle out the man's lips.

"Well, then you give me no choice but to tell her what you did as well." Kayla grasped in shock and brought a hand to her lips. "Didn't think that one through, now did we?" The man asked as he watched Kayla's widened eyes.

"You can't tell her," Kayla murmured, "She'll kill me."

"Well…," the man liked his lips and pulled a hand through his sand blond hair. "Stealing is wrong, no matter who's doing it. I can't just let you go."

Kayla eyed the man from top to toe, noticing the silver armor he was wearing and mentally scolded to herself. _"The men in armor were the people that could throw people in dungeons and such."_ Kayla's mind raced with frightened thoughts of her being in a cold dungeon without the worm smile of her grandpa, only water and bread to eat and not being able to lie on her mother's chest as she sung Kayla's favorite song.

"No!" She yelled and her eyes got filled with tears, "you can't throw me in one of those dungeons! I'll return the apple I swear! I can even apologize, just please don't toss me in a dungeon! Take the nasty pig man instead he's the one being mean! I can't live without my mom! And what will grandpa think! Please!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" The man placed a hand on the young girls shoulder as he noticed small tears stream down her red cheeks. "Nobody's going to throw you anywhere. You're going to fallow your mother home, hey don't cry." He lifted up her head with his fingers underneath her chin and brushed away the traces of tears left on her cheeks. "You honestly though you were going to spend a night in a dungeon? You're too young for that stuff, and besides you took an apple, that's not ... too bad?."

Kayla watched the man as the corner of his mouth rose into a grin and she couldn't help the thought that came into her mind. "You have nice teeth."

The man gave her a shy laugh. "That's an odd thing to observe," he mumbled. "But thanks."

Kayla just smiled and showed him the apple. "I'm sorry for taking it, it's just that he was mean to me, and I was really hungry."

"He was mean to you?" The man repeated as Kayla nodded. She streached out her hand for him to take the apple, but he just shook his head. "Nah, keep it. We'll just go down to where you found the apple and teach that man how to act around pretty young maidens."

Kayla just laughed as the man scooped her into his arms.

XxXxXx

"Kayla!" A mother in her yearly twenties rushed through the crowed around the fountain, desperately looking for her daughter. She was shaking from top to toe with worry and tears started to blur her vision. _"If something ever happened to her…" _Malon's thoughts raced as she tried to calm herself down. _"Why did I force her to go to that damn school? I should just have listened to her_ _when she told me she'd had second thoughts! Why, did I have to be born so overly stupid?!"_

She ran back to the fountain again. "Kayla!"

Her voice got drowned by all the talking people that past her without even stopping to ask her what was wrong, but Malon ignored them all and got a hold of an old man's shoulder nearly knocking him over.

"Excuse me," Malon said without entirely meaning it, "I was just wondering if you by any chance have seen a young little girl? She's six years old with red hair? Around this height," Malon placed her shaky hand near her abdomen showing an invisible person's length, but the man just shook his head as he begin walk away from her, but Malon took no notice. She just tossed herself at the next person asking the same set of questions to no avail.

Nobody had seen the young Kayla.

Malon felt that she was on the verge to throw up and fall on the ground at the same time. All this was her fault. How could she be so careless? If she hadn't been so stupid as to forget the time, she would've made it in time to find Kayla sitting near the fountain. Now, who knew where she was.

Malon ran down a small path ignoring the people staring at her. All she cared about was to find her little Kayla alive and well.

She looked around, seeing a lot of baskets filled with apples and bread, but no Kayla.

Malon walked in a fast pace while her eyes darted between all the stands. She past people in all different shapes and appearances but she couldn't see Kayla anywhere.

"Kayla!" She shouted again, without actually excpecting any answer, but this time…

"Mom!" A small voice traveled all the way to Malon's ears and her neck nearly snapped as she tossed her head in the direction she'd heared her voice. What met her eyes made her thank all the goddesses because just a few heartbeats away, sitting on a barrel with dangling legs with a red apple in her hands was no other than her daughter Kayla.

"Kayla." Malon's whisper didn't reach far as she ran over to her daughter and embraced her into a tight hug with tears running down her face. "Don't ever run away like this again."

"I'm sorry mom," Kayla mumbled against her mother's chest, "I just couldn't wait for you. I was hungry."

Malon let out a tiny laugh even though she didn't find anything in this situation amusing. And slowly she pulled away from the embrace and kissed Kayla's forehead. "I'm so sorry sweetie. It won't ever happen again, I swear."

Kayla shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay," she said, "He took care of me."

Kayla pointed right behind Malon, and without thinking first, Malon spun around and threw herself at the man standing behind her. She pulled him into and even tighter embrace than Kayla had gotten as she whispered her thanking prayers to him.

"How could I ever thank you?" She finally asked, looking up toward the man's face but froze at an instance once their eyes had met. As did he.

"Mom," Kayla happily said as she jumped down the barrel. "This is Link."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Whilst I'm at it, I would like to thank everyone who's read my story and given me such nice rewievs and to all of you who's put my story on your story alert/favorite!! Here's the continuing story!

Enjoy!

Oh yeah, I don't own anything, Nintendo do - but Kayla's mine, copyright on her! XD

* * *

Everything went within the minutes of a heart beat. The shock came with a fear deep inside the pit of her stomach as he looked right at her.

The sound of the market didn't reach Malon ears any longer. Her eyes locked with his blue, and everything else departed.

His lips were separated and his breath was heavy, but his eyes gave her a still, fleeting look.

Malon's hands felt damp, as her fingernails burrowed deep into the palm of her hands making her knuckles turn into a ghostly white.

In stages Malon tried to comprehend what was happening. She would opened her mouth trying to say something but her words got swallowed down by a huge wave of uncontainable feelings and Malon was left biting on her bottom lip.

A few years ago, Malon would have known precisely what to do. She would've lectured him for not stopping by to see her and probably throw something hard at his head, as she usually did but it would always miss, passing him by a couple inches at most.

He on the other hand would smile sadly and say '_I probably deserved that._'

And after that, everything would be okay. They would patch their friendship back together again, realizing in the end how much they meant to each other. Neither Malon nor Link could ever hold a grudge against one and other at least for any longer period of time.

But now, everything wasn't going to be okay. There was no relationship to save. Nothing left for them to patch up.

"Mom?"

A whispering voice entered Malon's head forcing her back from her thoughts. She kneeled down facing what seemed to be an almost sobbing Kayla who was trying to hold her confusion and worry back.

"Yes?" She said gently. Malon wanted to sound confident, but her voice sounded just like Kayla's faint and helpless whisper had.

"Are you sad?"

Malon gave Kayla a puzzled look, she could feel a bitter-cold moisture against her hand as she let it stroke over her cheek.

Had she been crying?

Without giving it a second thought Malon brushed away what was left of her tears with the back of her hand. "No sweetie," she said, "I just …," her voice dropped as she looked up at the reason to why she felt vulnerable. "I just remembered something."

Kayla forked an eyebrow. "What?" She simply said. "What did you remember?"

Malon glanced down at Kayla's pondering stare, noticing the strays of hair lying tumbled across her face. Malon carefully stroke Kayla's hair away from her face, she had a scratch right by her hairline, on her forehead. Malon couldn't help but to realize just then how fragile her sweetie was and just how strong Malon needed to be for her. "Nothing," she mumbled as she restfully shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore."

'_What doesn't matter?_' Kayla wanted to ask, but muted herself. Her mother, in some inexplicable way, gave out a hallow impression, an impression of being alone even though Kayla perceived so many people in their surroundings.

"Kayla?"

Kayla looked up at her mother and felt how she gently pulled some strands of her red hair. "Don't you think it's time for us to get home?" Thinking of her grandfather's hard labor on the ranch made Kayla long to come back home and so she nodded her head eagerly. She knew he needed her help.

"Let's go mom," Kayla said as a smile spread on her lips. "Grandpa needs me."

Malon made an effort to smile back as she stood up, groaning slightly as her legs finally met full length. "Then let's go."

Kayla nodded yet again, and took off in the direction of the cart.

"Do you really think it's wise to let her run off like that?"

Malon had just lost sight of her daughter as she ran `round the corner when she heard his voice behind her, in an annoying manner she pursed her lips and spun around to him. "Excuse me?" She said, "I don't think I need your advice on how to raise _my_ kid."

Out of surprise for Malon's strong reaction, Link let out a small pant. "I know, I was just saying …,"

"I know what you were saying." Malon interrupted, "and I think I can survive without your advice or godforsaken help. I mean just how many failed relationships haven't you had for instance?"

"Hey – only one!"

Malon crossed her arms over her chest. "I mean over the years Link not only this year."

"Fine!" Link snapped. "If you don't want my advices, I won't give you any."

"Fine!"

Link rolled his eyes. The remembrance of Malon in situations like this haunted his memory still: she always had to have the last word. But instead of trying to deal with the situation, he leisurely started to walk passed her. But he stopped in mid-move as he recalled something. "Oh, and by the way, Miss high and mighty?" His voice could barely be heard, but Malon could hear his annoyed tone even though he hid it well. "Kayla stole an apple."

"What?" Malon's head quickly turned to face his, ignoring how close they once were, she busted out in anger as she tried to protect Kayla "She did not steal anything!"

"I wasn't going to say anything." His eyes traveled down her face and back up to meet her eyes again. "But apparently you don't need my help."

Malon mentally envisioned slapping his face. "Fine," she whispered back. "I'll pay you back whatever the apple cost."

Link's lips slowly turned into a crooked grin and Malon found it hard trying to keep her eyes focused on his. "No need," he mumbled.

"But I don't want to owe you anything."

"Mal, we're talking about 4 or 5 rupees."

"I can see you like to think that, perhaps money isn't an issue for you. I mean when you live on expense of the queen and all." Malon now gave him a grin of her own whilst not failing to recognize that he too was struggling to keep eye-contact with her. "And by the way, don't call me that."

"Hey, I've always called you Mal and I got my own money!"

In a vibe of sarcasm she replied; "Well I don't want you calling me that any more besides your money or not this is a stupid argument and I've got to go, after all _I_ have a kid who's waiting for me." She started to walk, proceeding passed him but stopped suddenly and looked over her shoulder. "Anyway good talking to you Link," she said, feeling astonished by the sincerity of her last words.

At first she couldn't hear anything. But as she picked up the pace she could hear someone call after her, "Well I'll be seeing you!" Malon gave out a small sigh, "_how frustrating he could be._"


	5. Chapter 5

Hi! Soooooo sorry for the lack of updating! What has it been a month?! Man do I feel bad about that. But I do hope this will make up for it and the other chapters as well. The reason for my lack of updating has to be the 'Prince of Persia' game which I bought a month ago? Don't really remember the exact date but I've been hooked, mate! I will try to update more frequently, hope you haven't given up on me, cause I will finish this no matter what. That will be my New Year's Revolution ... nah, I'm joking, but I will make one that I can not keep. Hehe have it good everybody! And Marry Christmas.

So, enough about me, how you been?

* * *

The wind gradually picked up in the late afternoon, and the setting sun could be seen near the horizon coloring everything in its reach into a mild shade of orange. The light lit up the cracks of a little barn over at the Lon Lon Ranch and in it Malon sat alone, racing through her thoughts for several hours.

A man with brown hair loosely bound in a small ponytail, walked with definite steps over the smoothly moving grass. Quickly he caste a glance over at the shadows at the right edge of the barn as he passed the corner only stopping as his chubby hands reached the barn door.

He opened the door with a sudden force, leaving it widely open to let the sun reach inside, he squinted his eyes as he walked into the dim room. He was looking for his daughter

Malon had just gotten the last patch of hay and stood with her back against the door failing to notice the sharp light that finally made it into the darkness.

"That's the last of 'em," Talon said as he finally made it through to one of the stables boxes. He saw Malon cleaning its floor and he leaned his shoulder against a tree pole. "I think you're done now," he said with a determined voice.

Malon brushed back her hair in an annoyed manner, and turned her head in his direction, giving him a swift glare telling him to leave her alone. "I think I can tell for myself when I'm done." She gave him the same determined attitude as he'd given her.

Talon didn't care to notice her anger; he'd seen it so many times before. Her way of trying to make him leave only made him more persistent to stay. "You couldn't avoid it forever you know. I mean it was bound to happen."

"It was not bound to happen." Malon got a hold of a small patch of hay and placed it into the corner of the box. "It was never 'bound' to happen."

Talon watched Malon doing some minor, unnecessary adjustments, before he said: "so you mean that all of this was just a huge coincidence? That neither of them throughout their lives, would ever meet? Not even once?"

At first Malon pretended to be far too busy with her work to even hear what her father had said. She really didn't have any answer to her father's question. Of course Malon had hopped for them to never meet, but somewhere along the line, Malon knew it was impossible to avoid them from seeing each other, no matter how much she wished for it never to happen.

"Malon," Her father said as he slowly circled one of his temples. He noticed that she was struggling to ignore him. "You can't keep on doing this."

"Keep on doing what?" Malon asked as she spun around to meet her father. "What can't I keep doing?"

Talon saw the flash of defensiveness in her glare and decided to change the main topic a little. "Couldn't you've at least thanked the lad? I mean after he found Kayla?"

"Thank him?" Malon hissed as she bent down to pick up the empty black bucket which she'd filled with fresh water just some minutes before. "I have nothing to thank him for. He did nothing to deserve it."

Talon pushed himself off the pole and knitted his dark eyebrow together. "What do you mean?" He asked. "The lad did do something good for a change; don't you think you should've thanked him for it?"

Malon felt the strong glow of sun spiking her eyes as it slowly made its way down the horizon, she covered her face, trying to put off its harsh blaze. "Whose side are you on dad?" she said squinting at her father. "I mean you keep protecting him no matter what I say or do."

"I do not protect him." Talon progressively shook his head. "I just said that you could've thanked him."

"Maybe," Malon felt the venom in the tiny word as she little by little felt herself giving into something she did not like. "But there was no time to do so. I mean he's so …," she paused for a moment as she tried to come up with a good alternative to what she thought of him. "… obnoxious. You should have heard him talk; he kept calling me 'miss high and mighty'."

Talon cleared his throat. "Well," he mumbled as a cold breeze came inside the barn making Malon shudder. "Sometimes, you have to agree; you are a little …. difficult"

"See? You're defending him!"

"I'm not defending him, but I do think you should have showed him some sort of gratitude. And by punishing Kayla like you did for stealing an apple …,"

"Don't you dare go there," Malon grimly said. "Kayla should've known better. That's not how I raised her, and for her to go to bed early without me, reading her any bedtime stories is not a punishment!"

"Malon, you didn't really listen to her reason to why she stole it."

"It doesn't matter, there is _no _good reason for thievery, dad." Malon had to squint harder as she brought her hand closer to her face trying to keep the eye-contact she had with her father as the sun nearly blinded her. "That's how you raised me. And that's how I'm going to raise Kayla."

All of a sudden Talon started smiling even though he could find nothing witty with the situation. The unexpected idea that had entered his head came as a blow. But it was no situation update for Talon, because on some level he'd always been aware of it. "Malon," he said. "I highly doubt the reason for your outburst has anything to do with Kayla. And you can't con me into saying that it has." Talon tightly crossed his arms. "This is all about him isn't it?"

Malon widely opened her mouth. In just matter of seconds it felt like her father had gone hostile towards her. He'd promised her that he would stand next to her no matter what. Once upon a time when she had been standing on a very shaky path, her father had told her he would help her figure the whole thing out. And he had even told her that he would protect her. But when did this new circumstance come…?

Malon looked at him with her mouth big enough for ten and surprisingly became aware of the suns piercing light creating a mirror image of herself in her father's big brown eyes. She grimly looked at her lengthy radiant hair which she knew _her man_ had liked, and instantaneously she felt disgusted. Possibly it was a reflex, but as of this moment her looks sickened her the most. She loathed every bit of what he'd touched on her.

"Malon?" Talon bent down to meet her. "Am I not correct? You're still having feelings for him aren't you?"

"No." Her answer came like a hiss through clenched teeth. But of course she couldn't say she hated him. She didn't love him nearly enough to hate him. "He's moved on dad. He's a knight now … someone else's knight in shiny armor."

"What?" Talon raised his furry eyebrows. "I didn't catch the last part?"

"Nothing," Malon mumbled as her mind was racing with fresh judgments. "_He belonged to someone else now. Someone with hair blond like silk and eyes like the bottom of the deepest lake._"

"I'm going to go look on Kayla." Her answer sounded vague, but Talon didn't stop her as she passed him, leaving the black bucket to fall onto the hard ground of the barn.

XxXxXxX

"Kayla?" Malon, tenderly-hearted knocked on the old tanned door, guiding her to her old room, which now belonged to her young daughter. Everything looked pretty much as she'd left it, only much more papers filled the walls. Kayla had used crayons, coloring everything she'd scrambled down on a blank piece of paper. It could be anything from heaven to earth; it never ceased to amaze Malon. Kayla had such full-size fantasy.

"Yes?" Kayla sulkily replied from under the covers of her bed. Her answer was very short-lived, as she desired to show her mother just how despondent she felt.

Malon sat down on the edge of the bed struggling to remember what she wanted to say. "You know I don't like to yell at you?" She mumbled as her head sought the reason to why she'd gotten here.

"Maybe." A somewhat softer sound came out from under Kayla's cover that she had drawn over herself creating a big bulge.

"Can't you just come out of there?" Malon placed a hand on the washed-out cover trying to get it off of her daughter so she could see her face but as Kayla kicked back, striving to keep it on Malon felt how her fury unpredictably came back and she hastily stood up. "Fine!" she hissed. "Stay like that then."

And with that Malon stomped out of the room immediately feeling guilty about her outraged reaction.

XxXxXxX

After Malon'd left Kayla's room she'd gone to bed, in which she'd stayed for practically three hours now. She'd been looking out her bedroom window at the clouded sky hoping to get a glimpse of the moon which hid itself behind the gray clouds. The house had been dark and awfully quiet ever since everyone had fallen asleep which Malon also tried to do, but had unintentionally given up as she'd failed miserably to sleep ever since she'd meet Link again. But there was also one particular memory that tugged her brain, making her writhe between her sheets.

XxXxXxX

"_You know what?_" _A smooth voice asked_. "_I think you're beautiful, you shouldn't try to hide it." She smiled and he came up close and lovingly removed her blue ribbon holding her hair up in a messy farm-like due. She could felt how the hand brushed through the loosened hair while she moved in closer and felt everything slip away from her._

_In a funny provocative manner Malon took a step back as her feelings began to overwhelm, she cooked an eyebrow and with a loud snort she placed her hands on her hips_. "_So you're telling me that I look ugly without my hair going down my shoulders, are you?_"

"_No, no,_" _he smiled while shook his head_. "_What I meant to say, was that I think you look beautiful…no matter how; with your hair in a braid or ponytail, but right now all I know is that you look like an angel, you always do with your hair free"_

_Malon just rolled her eyes at him as he was teasingly moving away from her, and with the wind in her face she spun around to continue tending to the last of her chore for the day. She'd been trying to finish it for hours but always gotten interrupted by mischievously-stupid questions she thought with a laugh. But now she was more then determined to complete it since she was aware of the fact that the full-moon was out._

_Just as she was about to begin, she felt someone else's presence somewhere behind her, it was too close for her own comfort and she noticed she'd gotten a little spooked and shills now ran down her back. Quickly she spun around._

"_Hi," a voice breathed._

"_Hi?" She said as she'd realized who it was. "You almost gave me a heart attack." There was no respond and so she looked closer, she was puzzled…was it anger she saw in his eyes. He'd never looked at her like that before and surprisingly it made Malon realize how cold it had gotten outside as the barn stood open. The whistling of the winds made her skin crawl._

"_You're cold._" The _observation came from his lips even before Malon herself had realized it. Suddenly she felt two arms around her, caressing her, trying to prevent the warmth of her body to leave. _

_They stood like that, still and alone in the night, listening at the wind which magically whistled past them both. In the corner of her eye, Malon could see the left side of his face being painted by the grayish light of the moon bringing out a somewhat harshness, making his eye gleam with depths of night. The lantern hanging on the barn wall swayed in the wind and a flickering light reached out on them both. _

_Suddenly a gust made it through one of the small cracks of the barn and the light darkened. Leaving only the guiding light of the moon and stars to shine in the night. _

_Malon could feel how his arms tightened around her and his breath was near her ear as he whispered. _"_You okay?_"

_Malon slowly nodded as her grip tensed around his green tunic. _"_I'm fine,_"_ she mumbled and looked up at him. She wanted to tell him that she no longer was cold, that she no longer could feel anything but that of her blood, pumping in her veins but her mouth became mute. _

_And then it happened. _

_Everything went to fast for Malon's mind to follow. All she could remember was his voice echoing; _"_You're sure about this?_" _And his wonderful sapphire blue eyes looking calmly down at hers as if searching for something deep inside of her. She nodded; "Yes"._

XxXxXxX

Malon quickly threw of her cover and dragged herself out of bed. She paid no attention to the moon as it finally peeked out, out of its hiding place behind the clouds and reached down at her with its enchanting beauty. This time Malon was determined. This time all memories were going to disappear.

"_No more_." She told herself, feeling a tear run down her cheek. She lit the lantern hanging from down the ceiling. She was searching for something and rapidly searched through her bottom drawer. Then right there, right underneath her clothes was a sliver scissor, it shined beautifully in her hand. Malon had bought it at a marked some years ago but had never even thought of what her mind now told her to. She'd hidden it well so that Kayla wouldn't do what she herself now planned, which Malon had decided, she had to. She saw her reflection in the glomming steel. Their time had passed and she had to finish it, she knew that the time had come. The time were at last Malon had gained the courage and rage she had sought to get ride of _him_.

Without a second thought Malon took out the scissor in a firm grip, feeling its coldness in her shaking hands …

She blew out the lantern flame and completely sank down to her knees. Ignoring how her body trembled from her sobbing cries, she drew out a chunk of her red hair and without as much as a hesitation she cut it off.

She watched how the long piece of hair soundlessly fell down to the floor as she warily brought down the scissor to study the red piece which now laid dead on the floor. She picked it up letting the moon shun its light on it, and remembered how he'd stoked it. How she had felt his worm breath on her ear … with a muffled shriek Malon dropped the lock of hair and frantically started to cut another, and another.

"No more beautiful," she mumbled with trembling lips.

"No more will you be with me," she said to herself as tears recklessly rolled down her face. "No more will my hair be beautiful."

_No more_.


	6. Chapter 6

Link's leather boots made minor thuds as he walked across the big hallway. He kept his eyes straight ahead, ignoring the nods coming from the guards lined up alongside the corridor. His mind was full and he felt himself having more questions then he had answers.

Zelda had ordered him to go find Malon without delay, which he'd tried to, only to find … Kayla? Was that her name? Link found the fact of Malon being a mother unbelievable, why he couldn't really establish. Well mainly because he'd expected her to tell him about such a life altering thing of course. But the real issue wasn't that Malon had decided to have a daughter and without including him in her decision but that Link had since come to realize that he had lost her. He'd always thought that he would have had more time with Malon but she'd moved on with her life. In a way he was happy for her but he couldn't help but to feel a little lost.

Link rapidly shook his head, as if he wished the thought to fall out. Malon and he hadn't talked nor seen each other for over … six years. Had it really been that long? Link never reckoned it had gone so many years, not for a second he would have guessed that time would have passed him bye so fast, time that was now lost forever. But it wasn't for a lost cause and he'd never doubted his cause but never had he felt so empty.

"Six years." The number stumbled past his lips as the train of thoughts stopped for a brief moment. He wondered if she was mad at him for not keeping in contact with her, or if she was relieved that he hadn't. Link had always wanted to protect her but he never really thought it would be at the expense of loosing her.

Link reached into the heart of Hyrule Castle as he placed a foot into the throne room. It was very large and finely furnished. Torches hung along the walls providing perfect lightning for the lustrous marble rug flooring.

Night had almost gotten in touch with the castle as Link arrived. The sun slowly faded behind the horizon painting the sky in a shade of cobalt blue, but Link took no premier notice of its beauty. He only lifted his heavy head as he came up to meet "the tall man" dressed as always in heavy armor with his fist gripping tightly around his spear.

He pronounced his late arrival; "Knight Link has made his arrival to the castle, my Queen."

Zelda, who'd been seated in her throne with much boredom, had since long awaited Link's notice. Calmly she rose and as she walked down the throne stairs holding the edge of her delicate pink dress, making her high-heels slightly visible. She had great worry in her eyes.

"He'd been very late, far too late for it to have gone smoothly." Zelda's worry had for some time grown larger and she already knew what Link had come to tell. As she walked toward Link her heels clattered with confidence as they for each step collided against the marble floor.

"Link," she said, as he finally made her way. "Follow me into the other room."

Link could do nothing but follow as she quickly moved ahead, without as much as a second glance his way.

Zelda only slowed down as she came up to the door and placed her slender fingers onto the doorknob leading to her fathers study. The door made a wheeling sound as it opened.

"Hurry," she said with a low and dampened voice as she motioned for Link to walk on in.

Link had been in Daphne's study before. It was one of the few places Zelda and he could talk without being overheard by the guards or others. Though it was seldomly ever used it never ceased to amaze him to how beautiful it was, although it was strangely very different from other rooms in the palace.

Zelda promptly closed the door and turned to Link without much of a delay. "I have sensed grave danger," she said. "And Malon… is not with you?"

Link avoided her gloomy stare as he walked over to the big window on his right which opened on to the huge castle garden. Link looked down on the wonderfully trimmed labyrinth and saw a fountain, resembling the three goddesses' coming to life in its centre core. He gave it all a fleeting look before taking a hold of a small piece of the big emerald green curtain and skimmed over it.

"Link?" Zelda slowly placed herself behind her passed father's working desk.

Link didn't turn around. He kept skimming through the piece of curtain as he mumbled: "She has a daughter."

Zelda inaudibly drew a breath. She'd heard about a certain farm girl having a five year old child, but never mentioned it to Link. Of course all she'd heard about it was rumors, and a Queen of her standards could not believe in all that was said, but somehow Zelda knew it to be true.

"When were you told of the truth?" She asked after a momentarily silence.

"She stole an apple," Link told her. "I meet her and I… I didn't know…" he paused. "I thought _she_ would tell me."

Zelda nodded, knowing all to well how sensitive the subject was for him. "How did Malon react when she found you with her daughter?"

Link managed a sad laugh as the remembrance of their argument played behind his closed eyes. "Not all too good I'm afraid."

"She refused to come here?" Zelda asked.

"I never got a chance to ask her that. Everything went … wrong."

"Link," Zelda inwardly sighed. "I'm afraid this matter is more serious than I first let on. You were chosen by the elders as her protector and I realize the past you share but it must be put aside for her safety. If she is not here before the sun next rises…"

"Why Zelda?" Link spun around feeling how the curtain swiftly moved with him. "Why her, I need to know?"

Zelda carefully stood up and joined Link in front of the big window. The sun had finally fallen into a long slumber and the moon stood high in its place, centered among the dots of silvery stars.

She closed her eyes for an instant, wishing silently never to forget this wonderful sight.

Link mutely watched as Zelda closed her eyes. He wondered, as if for a split second, what she could possibly be thinking of, right before her blue eyes snapped open.

"Link." She turned to look at him. Her mouth was slightly opened, and he could hear her breathing. "He knows."

"Who knows?" Link placed a gloved hand on her shoulder, wanting to calm her down, but only seemed to make it worse.

"We're too late," she said as she pushed away his hand. "We can't evade it any longer." She walked over to her father's desk once more and harshly opened one of its drawers, searching through its content. "I though I could hold it back if just for a few months but I wasn't prepared none of us are …" Her voice disappeared as her hand placed around a scroll. She brought it out and sat down on the mint green chair. She opened one of the ink bottles that lay before her on the desk and grabbed a quill made from the feathers of a hawk. Deftly she dipped the tip of the quill in the dark green liquid from the bottle.

Her hand moved like a wing over the scroll, and Link watched as her mouth shaped into all the words she wrote.

As she finished, she examined what she'd written while rapidly rinsing the quill with a white cloth, and placed the cap back on the bottle.

Zelda held the piece of parchment out for a second as she blew on the ink to dry, then held out the candle lit on the desk and let it drop onto the scroll, her sealwas placed in its middle. She rolled it firmly and tied it.

"There." She instantly stood up and handed him the letter. "Give this to Malon, if and only if, Link," Zelda gave him a stern look, "she refuses to follow you here. I know you are of much concern but I can only tell you to hurry and not to fail."

Link sharply nodded as he swiftly placed the letter in the hem of his belt. "Trust in me your majesty, I won't fail".

Link was just out of Daphne's study when she suddenly called out. "Link," she said, "she is to come alone. No exceptions. And be sure to equip yourself."

Link nodded once more and quickly bowed her way, before taking his leave, briefly wondering what was said in the letter.

Zelda watched through her window as Link rode off, before going outside to walk in her garden. Zelda had only met Malon once and she had ever since remembered how young and fragile she was. It troubled her to hear about her child, Zelda knew of the importance Malon held and the thousands of lives at stake. She worried that this information had fallen into the wrong hands, that the darkness would have taken advantage of Malon all those years ago when Link had left her. She feared that the father of Malon's child would have been informed of the secret she and others had sworn to protect her from.

But Zelda knew that past could not be changed, Malon's fate had already begun to shape. And time was now short if the good were to influence its outcome.

Malon's daughter was human after all, Zelda thought to herself and she'd seen the resemblance .... perhaps time would still be on their side if darkness was still unawhare of Malons importance.

All of Hyrule depended on it.

"How can I call myself Queen of this land if I can't even prevent what I fear will come?" Zelda mumbled as she leaned against the great garden tree.

"_Don't worry my Queen._" Zelda picked up on a voice, but saw no one as she turned around. "_You were not meant to stop what is about to happen from taking place_."

Zelda parted her lips, as she was about to answer, at last realizing who it was. "Rauru," she spoke. "I wondered when I would hear from you."

"_Then at last_," the voice echoed throughout the garden, "_it saddens me to say that I am the bringer of bad news_."

Zelda sadly smiled as she waggled her head. "I know," she said. "I am afraid so have I. I do not have the girl."

For a moment, silence became Zelda's answer. Rauru had planned, with the help of the sages, to bring Malon with him to a safer place then she was in now, but alas that was not how everything was going to turn out.

"_I see_," the voice mumbled. "_Then she is alone at the ranch without her protector?_"

Zelda rubbed her temples. "For the time being. But her protector is already on his way with a message and his orders to bring her here."

"_But my Queen_," the voice of Rauru spoke up yet again. "_Did you inform him of the darkness that is to come?_"

"No." Zelda shifted her weight. "I told him nothing of it. I do not think of him ready. He could not yet comprehend the things that … I know."

Rauru quietly agreed.

"This darkness," Zelda said suddenly, "Why would it attack us now? And not when Ganon had our land in his claws?"

"Because, I feel that it sought the vulnerability in us all those years ago. But was unsuccessful to do so, as we were destined to prevail, but now I think we all share the same frailty that it hunted after all those years ago." Rauru's voice was low, as it was about to fade away, but Zelda did not stop. She only looked at the thick fog well on its way to cloud the sky.

Zelda carefully took off the tiara from her head, and watched the vague image of herself and her surroundings in the bejeweled object.

"But, if you don't mind my asking," Zelda putted an end to the stifling silence, "Why Malon, what will happen to her?"

Rauru cleared his throat before continuing: "_Malon is the thin line between good and evil, she is chosen and only she_."

"The thin line? Rauru I don't think I'm following …?"

"_I hope you're aware of what kind of path Malon now walks?_"

"I know of her importance, thousand of lives…the direction of her path, eyes of dark and light." Zelda drew a breath. "I have seen it, it came to me as a vision but I do not claim I understand it all. I need to know, who else knows …,"

"_Darkness._"

"The child's father?"

Rauru's eyes turned white he lifted his hands, that met before him and separated as a white core of magic appeared between them. Winds began to storm the garden and leafs blew the air as black clouds covered the sky. As in trance Rauru spoke; "_darkness, darkness is searching for her._"

Zelda forked an eyebrow as she tried to keep her hair from falling into her eyes as she searched the magic core with her eyes. She saw the fields outside of Hyrule, dark horsemen were riding toward Lon Lon ranch, toward Malon. It drew further showing the future of Hyrule, showing darkness spreading over the fields, the ranch and the castle until all of Hyrule was covered and Malon rose out of the shadows with Ganon ruling by her side.

"Stop this," Zelda cried out, "please tell me how to protect my kingdom, to stop her."

"_Malon is the chosen one. She is the one that was meant to protect the worlds._"

"Meant?" Zelda felt utterly confused. "But Link …?"

"_He is yet one of those that are chosen, the purpose of three; Zelda, Link and Ganon goes not beyond the good or evil of this world_," Rauru established.

"I do not understand, who is she?"

"_She is the key, the chosen one to open the second world. At this moment all will rely on her._"

"What will become of her?"

"_She will see, or this world have meet its end._"

"Rauru," Zelda said in one final effort knowing it might be too late, "will he find her, will Link get there in time?"

There was no answer, Rauru had already gone. Zelda had to act quickly, the horsemen bore Ganon's mark and she knew it was a sign, he too was afraid Malon's fate would fail to turn to his advantage, thus there was still time.

Zelda rushed back inside the castle and ordered her soldiers to ride to Links assistance well aware they would not be there in time. "It is all up to you Link, you must find her," she said with a dampened voice.

The room was decorated with mirrors along the walls and Zelda stood in its center. Her royal advisor had entered the room. There was no one but herself that Zelda trusted to bear the painful knowledge that her power of wisdom brought, but there was one thing in which she sought, another's opinion.

"There is something I need have answered," Zelda said as she turned around to face her advisor. "I need to find out what Ganon is planning, I have to leave the castle." And with that her advisor nodded knowing of her Queens wisdom and stubbornness, she bowed while exiting the room to begin the preparation of the Queens departure while Zelda remained.

"He will never make it to her before dawn," Zelda mumbled to herself. "I dread that we're all to late"

Zelda didn't even move a muscle when she heard the old clock's, which hung on the wall of her father's study in the other room. The drumming sound filled her ears. She walked toward the clock and cast a momentarily glance at it.

It was five am.

XxXxXxX

Malon nearly jumped out of her skin, as she heard the clock's foul bellowing. She'd just cleaned the floor clean from her hair, hence no evidence would be left after what had happened earlier that night. She nicely dodged every mirror that happened to cross her path feeling cold and fragile in her body but she couldn't help but to smile. She was surprised by her sudden outburst of courage and rage but pleased for she had finally cut her self loose. She was free and no longer a slave under his entrancing power. Now she was her own and not just a left-behind old memory of a person she used to be when she was with him.

Malon instantly calmed her nerves, still shaky from the beat of the bell. It had struck five. She lit the lantern that hung in her room, careful enough to not burn herself.

The flame that now burned in the lanterns centre, immediately lit up, painting a worm picture of her miniature room and also created a bright reflection on the sliver scissor in the corner of Malon's eye. She turned around completely and saw it lay on the edge of her bed, right where she'd put it before she started to clean the floor.

Malon mentally scolded herself as she got a hold of it. How could she forget to hide such thing?

She walked over to the dresser, ignoring her working shirt which covered the mirror placed on her dresser, and placed back the scissor in the last drawer, underneath all clothes that laid there.

"_Now_," she thought as she stud up and brushed away the invisible speck of dust on her clothes. She caste a glance at the clock in her room; it was five minutes past five. "_Only five minutes late to work_."

Malon pretended to be in high spirits, overlooking the fact that she cut her hair some minutes ago, and quickly pulled off the shirt from the mirror.

She looked into the mirror and studied the figure it gave. At first all she only saw her watery azure eyes, gradually her eyes float on seeing her gentle jawbones and how her lips looked more plumped than before. Malon observed that she'd gotten rough forms and shapes in her soft face. At the sides, the longest piece of hair reached down to her jawbones, but at her neck she had very little her, and she'd created bangs that hung in the front of her eyes.

Malon turned her head in all kinds of directions, and noticed that the hair was greatly uneven, but decided to oversee it. This was the new face of Malon.

She pulled the shirt, she'd held in her clenched fists; over her head and watched her image yet again, only to see that her working shirt didn't suite her anymore as it made her look far too pale.

The thought of buying some sort of new working attire entered Malon's head as she, for the second time, blew out the flame from the lantern and exited her room.

She walked down the creaking stair, and like every other day Malon though about what stood on her list of chores that needed to be done today. "_First she needed to make breakfast, and tend to the horses._"

She walked in to the kitchen and lit up the room conscientiously.

"_Also she needed to wake Kayla, and probably get her to help load the wagon with today's delivery._"

She took off the white apron from the nail that her Dad had pinned in the wall next to the doorpost some years back, so she could hang the apron in the kitchen instead of her room where she had to hang all her other clothes.

"_The cucco's needed to be fed_."

She hastily tied the apron around her waist, and out of habit tried to pull her hair over her shoulders and ending up laughing nervously at her stupidity.

"_She needed to wake her Dad, and probably Ingo as well._"

Malon got a hold of the bread she made two days ago, and tenderly placed it on one of the tree benches as she reached out for a knife to slice the bread with.

"_The horses needed to be let outside._"

Just as she placed a firm hand on the bread, another thought came into her head, which brought her to cuss loudly.

"Kayla's note!" She nearly yelled as she hit the knife against the hard bench, creating a huge crash. "I promised Kayla I would sign it yesterday."

With a loud groan, Malon started to look for the note, without much of a success. She couldn't remember much of what happened yesterday; let alone where she put a note.

Her hands went through the front pockets of her apron, and felt a small piece of paper in the left one. She fished it out and made a small thankful prayer to the goddesses, because in her hand laid Kayla's note.

For a moment Malon wondered how it could've gotten there, but shook it off pretty quickly. She'd probably just put it there so she wouldn't forget it later. That worked out swell.

Malon hastily walked back into the kitchen after she'd gotten a quill, a small ink bottle and a washed out clothe from her room, and placed herself down on a chair next to the table. She took of the cap on the ink bottle and dipped the quill's tip in the gung, and with a steady hand wrote her name on the paper.

She watched the paper as she grabbed the small clothe and started wiping off the quill. Once her father had told her, her handwriting where exactly like her mothers, which was a huge complement for Malon, because her mother had for her been an excellent writer, She wrote beautifully. She was the one people came to when they wanted to write Christmas cards, or thank you letters.

Malon had always wanted to be like her mother.

As Malon had finished drying off the quill and the ink had dried, she stood up and got a hold of the ink bottle when she heard a sudden banking on the door.

The unexpected noise, made Malon drop the bottle with a yelp, and watched how the bottle fell to the floor splashing its substance all over the kitchen.

She placed a hand over her heart and tried to calm herself. The banging on the door had stopped just as suddenly as it came, and Malon started to think she'd imagined it, till it came back again, even harder this time.

With a throbbing heart, Malonwalked over to the door. "Who's there?" she whispered, inwardly wishing she could hide under her father's bed, which she often used to do at the age of five.

"It's me," the voice conveyed.

"Link?" Malon said, feeling how her nerves cooled off somewhat. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Link, its five in the morning can't we talk later?"

It was quiet for so long that Malon, for a moment, forgot what they'd talked about.

"No," he said. "Judging by the sun, I would say it's around a quarter to six."

Malon felt how the frustration grew within her. "Link, please, who really cares what the sun tells you? It's early and I would like to continue with what I've started, if that's okay with you?"

"You can't," Link told her, "just open the door and I'll explain."

"I'll rather not."

"Malon, I was supposed to be here before dawn. I'm very late, just please open the door."

Malon hesitated for a while, but without really knowing why, she felt herself unlocking the door, awaiting his entry.

Rapidly Link opened the door, freezing as he laid eyes on her.

Malon gave him a confused look while lifting up a hand to stroke though her hair just before realizing what she'd done.

"What …?" Link started at her hair. "What did you do?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Malon snorted, "I cut it."

"I can see that," Link said. He looked at her with widened eyes, before moving her hands off from her hair. "Let me see," he mumbled.

He pulled some of the longest strands behind her ear, and softly lifted her chin. "It's different," he acknowledged as he cast a look at the hair behind her neck, "and uneven."

Malon just drew a sigh.

"I didn't say it was bad." Link grinned towards her and noticed that he held tightly in her hand still, and so rapidly pulled it away, in turn combing it through his own hair. "Sorry," he muttered.

Malon lead him into the kitchen and offered him tea, but he shook his head. "I don't have the time" he said. "I need to tell you something."

Malon rolled her eyes. "Yes, Link, you came to say you were sorry, I get it."

"Sorry?" Link forked an eyebrow. "Why would I be sorry?"

"Oh gee, I don't know," Malon said, with her voice dripping of sarcasm, as she promptly placed a hand on her hip. "Perhaps, for what you did to me? Or perhaps, because of your little stunt that you preformed on market the other day."

"Hey, that's not fair; I did not pull any stunts. I found your daughter, if you remember."

"I could've found her on my own!"

"Yes, cause' it clearly looked like it."

Malon felt how she clenched her fists. "Why Link?" She said. "Why do you keep making me so angry?"

"Oh gee I don't know," Link loosely mimicked her. "Perhaps because you think everything's my fault all the time."

"That's because it is!"

"No, everything's not my fault, it's yours too. I did not tell myself to leave, remember?"

"You would have done it yourself, if I hadn't told you!" Malon yelled feeling how a tear fell down her cheek. "You never failed to be at her side."

"Unfair, you know what I do, what I fight for, besides you never failed to be at Thad's side!"

Malon let out a frustrated sound. "Link when are you going to listen? I didn't like him that way. Why do you persist on being so jealous!"

"I'm not persistent!"

"Yes you are! You kept being jealous at Thad even though I told you over and over …,"

"I told you over and over that I didn't like _her _that way either, but you never listened."

"That's different!"

"No it's …," Link brought his hands down to his sides and shook his head. "We're getting no where," he said. "I think I should just leave."

"I think so too." Malon agreed.

Link just nodded once and turned around before stopping himself in mid-move. "I can't;" he said as memory caught up with him. "You need to come with me…I forgot"

"I should think not." Malon yet again placed her hands on her somewhat bigger hips.

"Malon, there is no time to argue anymore, you just need to trust me on this one."

"Yeah cause that worked splendidly when you told me the first time."

Without a single word, Link brought out the letter Zelda wrote to her some hours before and handed it to her. "Here," he lastly said. "Take it."

"I don't want to read it," Malon said as she crossed her arm over her chest. "I want you to leave."

"Not without you," Link promptly said.

Malon harshly grabbed the latter. "Fine," she said, "if I read this, then will you leave?"

"I told you," Link sighed. "I can not leave without you, you might be in danger; Zelda persisted on you following me back to the castle."

"Well I don't …,"Malon did not have the time to finish her sentence, because a loud boom could be heard coming from outside, making Link run out the door and for Malon to quickly place the letter in one of the front pockets of the apron. She hurried after Link who was now already outside, to see what had happened.

As she herself came outside she rapidly turned her head away from the scenario her eyes had just witnessed. A horseman fell to his knees as Link pulled out his sword from the man's head.

"Malon!" Link shouted out as he saw her from behind. Immediately he ran over to her side and grabbed hold of her arm while rapidly leading her over to Epona, who stood near the entrance to Lon Lon Ranch. "Take Epona and get to the castle," Link ordered as his left hand gripped tighter around the hem of his lowered sword dripping out of blood horseman's blood. "Don't ask me why and don't struggle, just go." He said as he gave her a shifted nudge.

"But what about you?" Malon asked feeling how fear rose within her, making her tremble a bit. "How will you get to the castle? And Dad and, and …," she stuttered.

"Malon," Link cut in, "I'll stay here and worry 'bout that. You go!" He nudged her again, harder this time having a stern look on his face.

"Okay," Malon mumbled as she mounted, hearing the shriek of the leather saddle. "But be careful."

"I always am," Link said as he heard another boom and started running towards it.

Malon cast one glance over her shoulder seeing how a man riding on a black stallion came galloping through the corral, before she kicked Epona's sides urging her to start running.

Everything she rode past became a blur in the corner of her eyes as she speedily past by. She felt how she began losing the grip of the reins in her sweaty and shaky hands, making her clutch herself tightly onto Epona's cream white mane. The panic started to rise even higher within her as several moments had past without knowing where Epona was running to and without being able to stop her.

She cast a look over her shoulder seeing the shape of the huge cloaked man. The very same man that had entered the ranch just moments before and was now riding dangerously close behind her causing her cry out Epona's name urging her to go faster.

Soon she found herself penetrate through a forest, and felt how the dry branches that crossed Epona's path, slapped her in the face, leaving shooting pain on her cheeks, and some tears to fall from her eyes.

For the longest of time all she could hear was the rumbling of Epona's hooves and she wondered if the hooded man had lost sight of her through the thickened woods as she no longer heard the other horse's hove beats, when she suddenly heard a crow's caw, making her skin crawl.

Leisurely Malon got a hold of the brown reins, dragging it in toward her body somewhat, telling Epona to slow down her pace, and as she did, Malon dared to let one hand off the rein go and lovingly caressed the horse's ear. "Good girl," she mumbled.

Epona just drew a heavy breath, as the crow started to caw again, leaving the whole forest to echo.

Malon turned her head in all kinds of directions, to be able to see the crow, because every time she heard it caw, it sounded so close, like it was right next to her ear.

It cawed again, sending a shiver along her spin.

Malon pulled Epona to an abrupt stop as she neared a lake, and dismounted her. She pulled the reins over Epona's head and started to lead her over to the lake, hoping that she would drink some of its clear water.

Malon knew that this time of day, the sun would stand high on the sky, but in this thick forest not even the slightest sunray could get through, which left her in utter darkness.

Caaaaaw.

Malon bent down, seeing her own reflection in the cold water. She noticed that there was a red streak of blood on her right cheek.

Caaaaw.

She placed her hands in the awfully cold water cleaning the blood away.

Caw ….Caw ….Caw.

The shrieks of the crow came more frequent, but Malon was determined to ignore them. She glanced down at her reflection again, wondering if she'd gotten away all the blood, when she saw the mirror image of a black crow looking down on her.

Terrified, Malon spun around, only to see an empty tree. "This is ridicules," she told herself as he looked at Epona, who'd bend her mule down into the water.

Caw ….Caw.

Malon turned around continuing to bathe her hands in the water when she yet again saw the crow staring down at her, this time horrifically close, making her yell.

Caw.

She stood up, and walked over to Epona. "C'mon girl," she said, "it's time to go." She carefully pulled in her reins but Epona didn't move. She just continued to drink out of the lake.

Malon sighed loudly. Somewhat annoyed to hang around in such cold and frightful place.

Caw ….Caw.

She walked over to the lake yet again, feeling how every bit of her body shook terribly as she cast a glance down on the smooth surface. She saw the crow. It sat in the tree right above her looking down on her with its purple eyes.

Caw ….Caw.

This time it sounded far too close, even closer than the other time.

Malon looked at her shaking hands, before looking down on the watery surface again although this time seeing that the crow no longer sat on the small branch.

Caw.

Malon spun around only to see pure blackness right in her face and hearing the flutter of the crow's wings and feeling the scratches of its claws in her face. She started to scream, and waving her hands uncontrollably trying to get it out of her face, as she backed up, feeling how she lost her foothold and fell down in the coldness of the black water only hearing the sounds of the crow.

Caw ….Caw ….Caw.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N; Yay! Chapter 7 is out! But what is up with the lack of words? Only 1,782, guess I just mocked the other chapter, huh? But I think you might find this intriguing. The plot's FINALLY kicking in! Not that it wasn't funny to write the other chapters, it's just great when you can feel the story developing! I think this callesfor another: YaY!

I also would like to take this opportunity to thank my anonymous reviewers!

Fred: I'm glad to know you find this story to be in your liking! Thank you, for all the nice things you said. I really appreciate it! C:

Howltothemoon: I''m really glad that you took the time to read and reviewed it! And thank you for noticing the development in the story! I thought I was the only one (Ha!) Hope you'll find this just as ... shall we say tastefully? C:

Oh, and in case I (purposely) forgot: I don't own anything, the Zelda Crew kinda does, but Kayle's mine! (I know that you all want to steal her, since its so hard to come up with a good quality character now a day!) Sarcasm _was_ added there. Haha.

Enjoy everyone!

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Malon gravely felt the need for air, and with a last push, brought herself above the lake surface with a huge grasp. She rapidly sought something to prevent her from falling down underneath the sludgy water. It felt like the water was struggling to keep her in, pulling in her soaked clothes.

It was hard for her to move, but she made an attempt to swim towards the muddy bank. She swam but for each new effort she could feel how her body sunk further and further down the freezing lake. The fear rose within her. She felt her body beginning to turn numb, she wanted to give in, to stay still but knew it would mean her death.

"Somebody …," Malon strived to yell, but it merely sounded like a muffled whisper. Her voice died out, there was no one there to help her. Rigorously she fought her way through the water as she for a split second was drawn down again below its surface. She grasped for air and her cold lungs ached, heaving a heavy breath turning a crystal white into the air.

Her body shook lividly and her lips tinted of lilac as a sudden but very violent wind tugged at her drenched hair. The wind whistled past her ear, and brought a familiar sound. It echoed in the air flying above her, hunting her, forcing her to hear its caw. Malon make an effort to squint through the darkness that seemed to possess the woods, trying to locate the laughing crow. But the more effort she laid in, the more convinced she was that it came from every tree that surrounded her.

"Help…please …," She attempted another shout, but found this one to be even weaker then the first one.

Malon felt helpless. She knew she couldn't reach the bank without the help of someone, but there was no time to await somebody else's arrival.

Another wind hallowed past her ear, bringing the words '_stupid girl_' along with it, which brought Malon to ponder if she really was the only one there. The laughing sounds of the crow had tersely come to a halt, and Malon began to calm herself down.

Shortly thereafter Malon had hauled herself almost close enough to reach a green branch that hung down in the water. The great tree was rooted at the edge of the bank tilting slightly over the lake, its rope like branches was hanging in a bow over the water. She thought she could use one of them to help drag herself the last distance, but found it difficult as she constantly slipped with her wet hands.

She successfully managed to grab a hold of the branch after many failed attempts behind her, she carefully yanked it a bit, seeing if it would sever, but remarkably enough it seemed to hold. Malon felt overwhelmed, "_was I finally going to reach the bank?_" She calmed herself as she warily begun pulling on the fragile branch edging closer and closer to shoreline.

When Malon had gotten so close she could feel the mud with her fingers, she relished the tight clasp around the branch and sunk her fingernails into the oozy sludge.

Lastly Malon began crawling up the shoreline, ignoring how filthy her clothes became, and exhaustingly laid herself on her back. Her chest rose and sunk in pace with her thumping heart, and she felt how she was edging into dizziness from all the air that too hurriedly escaped her mouth.

Her white shirt was filled with mud and soaking wet, just like her apron and anything else that she wore. She brought up her feet in the air, only to notice that she was missing one of her father's shoes. "Damn," she hissed, as she aimed to sit up.

Next her attention turned to Epona. "Epona?" Her voice didn't stretch too far, although soon Malon realized that yelling was of no avail. Epona was nowhere in sight.

"_She must have gotten back to the ranch_," Malon thought as she, with the help of her hands and knees, stood up on her staggering legs. She was drenched to the bone and she felt goosebumps immediately covering her body.

"_That was spooky._" Malon peered over her shoulder and began searching for the direction Epona had emerged through, but found no traces at all suggesting that a horse had ever been there. "That's odd," Malon whisperingly remarked to herself. "I clearly saw the trampled grass and branches before I fell in the lake."

She shrugged it off and begun walking towards the direction she thought was the right way back, when blasts of pain emitted themselves on her right side making her clutch it and cry out in nuisance. The pain instantly ebbed away, and Malon realized that there was no time to stay and examine what ever it was that had caused her sudden pain. She decided to walk it off.

Malon started walking but quickly came to a halt as both sides suddenly blistered with pain knocking her to her knees with a painful yell. Unable to walk, Malon elected to see the reason for her unexpected pain, and carefully pulled up the hem of her shirt, seeing a vast horizontal line colored in dark gray.

Malon felt another wave of pain arising from her chest , and she dropped the grip of her shirt. Warily Malon struggled to stand, but found it nearly impossible as the slightest movement caused her reckless pain.

She wrapped her arms around her body and attempted to walk merely to find the same ruthless pain emanating from her legs and she fell face first onto the ground.

Malon leisurely began crawling her way through the forest, feeling how the smarting increased no matter what she did or how she placed her body. As she put her right arm in front of her, in an attempt to heave herself forward, she noticed that her arm had the same shade of dark gray that covered the skin on her ribs.

She made an effort to touch it with her fingertips, however stopped in mid-move when she felt how the pain suddenly disappeared as mysteriously as it had come. But it was not over, out of the pain an icy feeling emitted throughout her body leaving her to shake furiously on the ground.

Malon brought her legs closer to her stiff frame, and wrapped her bear arms around them as her teeth started to clasp together every so often. She began to lose feeling in her fingers and toes, as her pain came back spreading through her body, bringing out a coldhearted scream from her gray tinted lips.

The bolts of pain started to pulsate within her as it become more frequent. Malon found it hard to control it and snapped her eyes shut.

Out of fright and pain she began calling for help, she tried to open her eyes but realized she was not able to. Everything was black and she stopped calling trying to determine if anybody had heard her. But all was quiet until she picked up on the flapping of a bird's wings. And just as the bird had appeared she was able to open her eyes. The first thing she saw was the black crow standing inches away from her face.

Malon started to yell trying to scare the bird, but it only made it 'caw' alongside her loud cry. "Go away!" She hissed, as she bit down on her soft bottom lip, feeling how the taste of blood filled her mouth.

The crow jumped closer, meeting her with its purple eyes. Malon wanted to wave it way, but only cried, out of pain.

The crow gave her one last gaze before promptly jumping away and stretching its wings ready to fly away, when Malon pleaded; "Don't go,"

The crow looked back at her standing on her threes, but started to flutter its wings showing its resentfulness towards her. But that is when Malon spoke to it. She realized that she spoke in a tongue she did not understand, she could speak but she had no real comprehension of what she said, she only knew what mood she said it in. It was impossible to decipher but to Malon's astonishment the crow answered, it knew. It called back with its harsh and endless 'caw', bringing the corner of Malon's lip to rise suddenly, it was as if she herself had no control.

Malon found herself stretching her neck tilting around her head to the left in a stretching manner, her right hand rose and pulled out her shirt collar that firmly followed her neckline. Malon looked at her hands and with her left finger touched her right as if she did not know how her hands looked or felt like and as if she'd seen them for the first time. Malon faded into herself.

The crow was still flapping but in a seemingly vigorous way, it turned its head tilting it quickly from side to side. It still seemed to watch Malon's movements in a peculiar way and its eyes were gleaming purple. 'Come back to me' she said. It became easier for Malon to move the more she spoke, however as she concentrated to understand it and as she struggled to move, it turned into a blur of sound and her pain constantly increased. But as she let go, her pain began to fade and the language rapidly began to clear.

The crow turned around, and slowly jumped back to her, and she carefully lifted her pallid hand, to caress the crow's head with two fingers. 'Us started to think you where gone.'

The crow's eyes gleamed brighter.

'But tonight you made us proud.'

Caaw.

Another grin placed itself on Malon's darkened lips, as she for the last time felt a much too weakened bolt of pain emit trough her body. "Us is here now," she whispered.

The crow fluttered with its wings, as Malon leisurely sat up, and begun tapping her fingers on a sharp fang. She silently drew a breath, loudly muttering, "Us is here."


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N. I want to thank all of my reviewers and readers, it means a lot to me that I have your support especially since this is my first story! Love ya all.._

* * *

_Link raced into the house. He looked at the empty kitchen but instead of entering it Link headed for the stairs. He ran up, taking two stairs at the time. There were four doors that caught his eye as he finally managed to get up. "Kayla?" he yelled in hope that he wouldn't have to go through every room to find her. _

_It was quiet, Link tried to still his intense breathe, he wanted to hear if she had replied. But as the reply never came Link felt how his body started to tense. "Kayla? Are you up here? It's okay it's me Link. The knight you meet at the market?" His voice sounded stressed, but he strived for it to be kept calm. He knew other riders where on their way, and he needed to make sure Kayla and her Grandfather was out of the way._

_He waited for her reply. He could feel his body growing less patient by the second, and he started to walk to the first door ready to open it when his sensitive ears finally distinguished something, a sound, the sound of someone sobbing. It sounded like it came from the second door onto his left._

"_Kayla?" He opened the door, and saw a small girl sitting on the floor with a blanket pulled over her head. Link walked over to the left side of the bed and bent down to the floor and carefully pulled away some of the cover, making him able to see her scared face. "How are you holding up?" He asked in an attempt to make her feel better._

"_Where is mommy?" She asked. Her bottom lip was trembling, and Link could make out a small tear, slowly tracing down her face. _

_Link wrapped the blanket around her body before lifting her from the floor, "hey," he murmured as he placed her in his arms, "don't worry. Your mother will be fine."_

_Kayla huddled close to his chest, feeling how it moved rhythmically up and down. _

_Link walked out of the room and with his foot closed the door with a thud. "Where does your Grandfather sleep?"_

_Kayla pointed to the door closest to the stairs. "That is actually Ingo's room, but he's sleeping outside now."_

"_No wonder the man's bitter," Link mumbled to himself. He walked over to the door, but immediately hindered himself. Link felt the scent of danger, even long before his eyes could pick up on it. Something was dreadfully wrong. "Kayla," Link pressed the young girl closer to himself. "Don't look inside, okay?" He tried to keep up a cheerful tone, but Kayla realized that something was wrong seeing the burdensome expression on Link's face._

"_What's wrong?" She asked. "Grandpapa's just sleeping." _

_Link got a hold of Kayla's neck, and carefully made her rest her forehead against his shoulder. "I'm sure everything's fine."_

_With a bit of force Link opened the door, only to wish he hadn't. The smell of rancid death hauled itself on him, making his stomach twist. He gazed into the room, seeing the shape of Talon with his back against the wooden bed with a blooded arrow piercing itself through his skull._

_His brown eyes was wide open, facing Link's as if the murderer himself had been standing exactly where he now stood. Link hastily closed the door, knowing that he never be able to forget the death luring in those eyes. _

"_What's that smell, how come you didn't wake him up?" Kayla asked as Link watchfully walked down the stairs, still having that lump in his abdomen which only grew larger. _

"_He wasn't there."_

"_Oh."_

_Suddenly Link saw the edge of a cloak and a shadow disappearing behind the kitchen door, he hissed silently. They'd come back with reinforcement, and was now in the house looking for him._

_Link pushed Kayla higher up in his embrace and begun tiptoeing towards the kitchen, which they had to cross to get out of the house. _

"_Hey," Link breathed near Kayla's ear. "Have you ever played hide and go seek? "_

_Kayla nodded. "Lots of times!" She beamed. "Mom and I use to do that."_

"_That's great." Link flashed a hurried smile. "Because we are going to play that now." Link reached the brown doorpost and pressed his back against it. He tilted his head trying to catch a glimpse of the men in the kitchen. He saw two. _

"_We are hiding," Link explained. "And the men in black cloaks are searching."_

"_Ah," Kayla whispered, as she laid eyes on the two men in the kitchen. "So they can't see us or we lose?"_

"_Right, and the first one to get outside the boundaries of Lon Lon Ranch are the winners."_

_Kayla nodded. "I always win, when mom and I play."_

_Link nodded. "That's great," he said as he glanced away from the two men and to the outer door that stood five feet away from the kitchen door. _

"_The hard part is, if we get caught, we can't play again," Link thought as he slowly pushed himself of the wall. He began walking, again on his toes, over to the other side of the doorpost, and sighed inwardly as he reached it without being spotted by the men._

"_See here," one of them said. He was holding up a note. "She's been here!"_

_The other man walked up to him. "It is her handwriting," the second one agreed and placed a finger on the paper. "But it won't help us find her."_

"_Still," the first one said and threw the paper away. It gracefully flew down on the floor, some inches away from the green clad hero, who quickly gobbled it up from the floor._

_It was a note from Kayla's school, signed by Malon's hand. _

_Link stowed the note in a satchel on his belt and begun sneaking towards the direction of the door. He stopped just as he heard a voice: "Wait there," it said "I'm going inside." The doorknob started to rotate and Link felt his chest heave; "was there men outside as well?" Hastefully Link turned around to look for a place to hide. _

_The man was brought to a standstill as he heard a crack in the floorboards near the door on the other side. He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and pulled it out. The sun that now stood high in the sky reflected onto the clod steel. _

_A leer spread on his face as he quickly wrenched the door open._

_The men that stood in the kitchen were just about to pull out some of the drawers when they heard a sudden burst. Out of surprise both of them dropped what they had taken from out the drawers and it fell to the ground with a huge clash. "What the hell was that?" One of them yelled as both bolted towards the front door, only to see a man clad in a black cloak standing alone in the hallway with his sword goofily pulled out in front of himself._

"_He was here!" The man with the sword roared as the two men glared at him. "I heard him."_

"_You idiot!" One of them hissed. "Everyone within a mile from this house could probably hear you!"_

_The man who stood near the utter door growled. "But I know it was him, he is here."_

"_Did you see his face?" The second man asked._

"_No," the man harshly placed back his sword in its sheath. " I only heard him from outside the door."_

_The two men that stood inside the kitchen growled in union. "Have you ever stopped for a second and figured that it might be us? We weren't all that quiet!"_

"_Idiot," The other man hissed, as the both of them went back to the drawers. "Just go upstairs so we don't have to see you."_

_As the two men walked off, the man that was left in the hall roared silently. "I know he's here," he muttered as he walked over to the stairs. He placed a foot on the first step, making it creak loudly. "Upstairs!" He mumbled. "He ran upstairs." With that the man bolted up as be brought out his sword, not bothering to look back._

_Behind a green sofa placed in the kitchen hallway laid a man convolved and entangled with a red haired girl. She giggled softly against his chest, which conveyed a grin out of the young blond. "That man was really stupid, he missed us."_

_Link tried to shift position as he felt that something sharp-edged was pressing into his lower back."I think we should get going," he grunted, "It sounds as if it is clear." _

_They aimed to sit up, but with much difficulty. However after some silent 'ouches' and 'moans' they finally managed to sit upright. Link rubbed his back, still soaring after having a knife handle pressing up against him while Kayla looked over the edge of the sofa. "I can't see anyone," she declared. "But I think there are more outside."_

_Link nodded. _

"_Hey Kayla" Link whispered, "let's find another way out, whaddya say? _

_Link took Kayla in his arms not expecting nor waiting for her to answer. They rushed up to a window in the far end of the room. It would lead them out to the back of the ranch. _

_Link opened the window and leaned out a little, there was no guard sight. He put Kayla down and told her to wait for him by the window. He placed a firm hand by the window edge and jumped out with cat-like grace._

_His boots meet the ground with a stifled thump, he looked from side to side before he rose to catch Kayla. _

_Kayla climbed up the window with the help of her arms and feet. The wind roughly played with her hair as she stood on the window edge. "You promise to catch me?"_

"_I promise." Link saw how the clouds begun clogging the sky, driving away the worm rays of sun. He felt how the winds unexpectedly picked up, making the hem of his tunic and hat flap in the fast growing wind. "C'mon Kayla hurry."_

"_I can't see you," Kayla said, as her hair flew in front of her face. She tried to take a step back and lost her balance. With a shriek Kayla fell in Link's arms. She brushed back her hair and looked up at a grinning face. _

_Link was about to say something when footsteps could be heard along with a voice saying: "I heard something, I think it's from the back of the house!"_

_Link turned his head in the direction of the voice and his mouth turned into a fixed line. A blue flash could be seen followed by a thundering roar as Link hurryingly marched over to one of the creates his eyes had caught sight of some minutes before. He placed Kayla behind it. "Enough hiding," he said to himself. "Wait for me here Kayla and whatever happens don't come out ." She nodded. Before he left he bent down, grabbed her small wrists and placed her hands over her pointy ears. "Have your mother ever taught you any good songs?" He asked as he corrected her hands._

_Kayla nodded as she felt rain drops fall on her head and on her face. _

"_Can you remember it in your thoughts and hear your mother sing it?" Link asked. She nodded again, sensing a dismayed feeling wash over her. She wanted to tell him to stay with her as she was frightened of the thunder that played above her head, closely in the darkened sky. But she did not dare to, not when she looked into his strong-minded eyes. Instead she closed her eyes picturing her mother and she let the tones of the song her mother sang fill her mind, depleting all her fears. It was called Epona's song her mother had told her._

_Before Link could realize what he had done, he'd leaned forward and kissed her on the head feeling the taste of her wet hair. He stood up reaching for the hilt of his sword. He walked with determined steps, the raindrops fell and he drew his sword. _

_Link saw the blue flash as it mirrored on the man in front of him, and soon both of their ears got filled with the sound of the thunder. Link seemed to pick up on how calm the man was. There was no hint of worry in his face, and he rapidly felt the scent of danger, long before he could figure out what it was. The rain was now poring and Link began having trouble seeing through the heavy fall, he put his arm up above his head in an effort to stop water from falling into his eyes, turning his head as he walked blindly in the dark. He stopped, another flash stroke down covering the steel of his wet sword and for a second lighting up the dark, revealing a man standing behind him just about to release an arrow aimed at his back._

_As he turned Link heard the swish as it released, splitting water as it flew through the air, and with the twinkling of an eye the steel tip of the arrow collided with the steel of Link's sword. _

_Link stood with his sword as a vertical shield, tilted, in front of his heart. He looked up starring fiercely at the man with the bow still in his hand. His soaked blond hair hung in his face with the rain drops dripped down. _

_Flashes continued striking, coloring his darkened eyes, he stood in the middle hearing someone charging up behind him. The man swung his sword causing Link to shelter himself by lifting his up above his head, covering his back. In one blow the two swords met, Link pushed back his sword forcing the other to release as he in a turn rolled down by the man's side. Link drew his sword forward, missing only by an inch as the aggressor slant over to the side. The man changed his foothold, ready to strike again, Link blocked but got forced back as he tried to stand. He wobbled back but quickly got a new hold on his sword, ready to progress. _

_Their sword's met with clashes, dismissing all other sounds. _

_Link could feel the stench coming from the man's breath as they closed up to each other, when Link finally managed to push him away from himself._

_The man slipped on some wet grass, but did not fall, as Link attacked him, instead the man blocked the on-coming strike with an equal blow. The man paused and attempted for a new slash but Link got by as he jumped to the side._

_The man jumped back and tried to slash him with a horizontal spin, but Link jumped back like a wolfos dodging it scarcely and landing on his feet a bit away from the man. _

_The attacker ran towards him charging his sword at Link who dodged it by rolling past him, slashing the man's arm as he went by, causing the man to yell in pain. _

_The storm started to get worse as the winds became rougher. _

_Link looked at the man who stood four feet way from himself and breathed heavily. A flash could be seen behind Link as he jumped at his opponent and span sideways through the air. The man looked up at the spinning elf and only saw the horizontal pattern of sliver. It turned closer and as Link reached his opponent he, with the force of his mid-air spin, brutally stabbed the man's neck, causing them both to fall on the ground. _

_But only one remained on his feet._

_Link took a hold of the dead man's sword as he sensed the other cloaked man coming up on his side, he now had two swords and without paying any attention to how tired he was he gripped them firmer, holding, until the man was within blades reach._

_He kept his swords low letting his attacker know he was waiting for him, the sword now clashed onto his own and with his swords crossed held the other sword back. Link saw into the man's eyes as he forced him further and further back. Their clothes were soaked and the grass had turned into mud, each of them knew that if any of them lost focus, only a moment was all it would take for one to prevail over the other._

_Link felt how his opponent became weaker, he was beginning to give in. Suddenly the man lost his foothold and in an attempt to finish, Link tried to do an air flip on over to the man's back but the man saw it coming. He slashed Link in mid-air, but Link anticipated the blow and blocked it, he countered as he landed._

_Blue flashed at the two soaked men, as another thunder filled the heavens above them._

_Link side-kicked the man in his the abdomen and his attacker grunted as he collapsed down. As on cue Link turned around, blocking a sword coming from another cloak as his sword was inches away from slashing Link's head in two. Link growled shortly at the man as he pushed him away with his sword. _

_This time Link let the blow get through, he locked it in-between his two swords as he twisted them to the side forcing the sword out of the man's grip. To astonished to move, the man struggled to get a hold of his sword again but rather quickly felt how Link sent his brown leather boot up the man's gut. The man fell to the ground and in one movement, with all his might, Link tore the swords aside holding them sharply in the air with its end pierced toward the ground. Link gave out a yell as the two swords fenced down in a huge thrust, breaking through the man's chest, one from each side._

_Link struggled to catch his breath, as the last man got back on his feet. He clutched the hilt of his sword hard as he began swinging it in circles over his head with a deep roar, urging Link for a rematch._

_They exchanged glimpses of each other in the dark but neither spoke instead Link answered by swinging his swords in slow arching patterns, showing that he had accepted the challenge. _

_XxXxXx_

_Kayla's arms hurt, she was cold and despite what Link had told her she could not hold them up anymore. She began to feel really scared and she no longer wanted to just imagine her mother's voice, she wanted hear her and to feel her stroke though her hair. Leisurely she brought down her hands, nearly crying out of pain as they fell to her sides. She looked down at her gray nightgown: It was soaked through and her body shook fiercefully. _

_Carefully, Kayla crawled to the edge of the crater and squinted through the darkness. The winds blew hard, and the rain made her hair clutch like a wet towel around Kayla's face. She couldn't see Link anywhere because of the rain. But then suddenly a white flash lit up the sky and she made out two shapes in the far off distance. _

_XxXxXx_

_His sword was held high and Link could clearly see in its reflection his sharpened blue eyes. They pierced themselves into his mind and for a moment Link was totally paralyzed by them. There was something strange that had awoken in him, it was as if time stood still and he began reflecting on what had happened. He had been fighting ever since the break of day and he'd no idea where Malon was. So many things had happened that he could not prevent, he remembered Talon lying on his bed, a corpse like so many others he'd seen. The memory of Talons eyes strangled him, his heart began to beat slower. What kind of hero was he leaving a child alone in a storm while he made himself busy by slaughtering trash in their backyard, dripping blood that would never wash away. Suddenly Link felt dazzled. What was he doing? Was he sympathizing with Malon's family or was he just feeling sorry for himself? A blow just passed him, it missed and dug right into the ground._

"_Idiot," he muttered to himself._

_The aggressor came at him again. Link's swords were trapped hard on his chest, locked in place. He couldn't move his arms. His opponent started to push harder, pinning his arms in place like two thumbtacks. _

_Link felt how his knees slowly began buckling from the inflexible force that was put on him and by the pressure from the man that stood chest to chest with himself, slowly pushing him further and further down. _

_Link was fully aware of the situation. He understood that if he fell on the ground now there was no getting up. No second chances._

"_Link!"_

_A small crying voice broke through the thundering storm, which brought the man to stumble and lose his thigh grip. Link pushed the man off of himself using every ounce of his being. _

"_Kayla, get back!" Link shouted, not seeing nor hearing her anymore. All he saw was the back of the man who'd turned around looking to find the source of the small voice. This was Link's chance, he threw his sword through the attackers back, seeing how it pierced on through to the other side. The last of the cloaked men, fell to his knees. As he parted his lips blood ran down his mouth, drooling from his bottom lip in long streams of dark sultry liquid. He gulped for air as Link pulled away the sword, making the man fall dead on the ground. _

_Link fell to his knees, dropping his bloody swords on the wet grass. His breathe was caught in his chest but he tried to suck in some of the cold air._

_He worried about Kayla and where she might be, it wasn't safe anymore and more men could be on their way._

_Fiercely a force hit him over his chest causing his lungs to contract and making him fall to the ground. Quickly he saw a tint of red that rested itself on his chest, it cried heavily._

_Link placed a hand on her head, stroking her hair. _

XxXxXx

_As soon as Link had made it to the castle, with a drenched Kayla in his arms, Zelda had ordered almost half of the castles servants to attend to the little girl . Even though Link had detected the worry in Zelda's eyes when finding he had not brought Malon with him back , Link sensed that this was an outcome she had prepared for. _

_The long walk to the castle had made Link realize how tired and exhausted he was. But when he finally had arrived at the castle gate and learned that Malon was nowhere within the premises he'd gotten fully awake. Resting was one of the last things he would do, when he knew Malon's life could be at risk._

_Zelda had only told him that she would dispatch the guards to search for her, it seemed it was all they could do. Link had been determined to lead the search however, Zelda had ordered him not to. This would ordinarily mean that he would do as she'd ordered but in this case wild horses couldn't stop him from going after her. But Zelda had make sure it was impossible for him to leave because she knew that Malon's fate was now out of their hands, out of any of their hands. _

_She had told him what had happened in the garden and what she'd seen, she told him about Malon and the part she played and that wherever she was now they had to believe she had the power to overcome the dangers she faced._

XxXxXx

Link walked the corridors that night, he had to keep telling himself the castle was where he would be needed and where he would stay. After all he had to believe in her, he had to believe in Malon. Suddenly steps woke him from his thoughts.

"We found the horse, Sir."

"Then you must have found her too." His voice sounded raspy. "Epona never leaves her riders side."

The armor clad guard glanced at him coldly before answering. "The horse was alone. We found her at the moat surrounding the castle. And her saddle seemed empty enough for us."

Link glared at the black haired man. "Are you positive she wasn't anyplace near?"

"Yes." The man quickly added a, "Sir," before continuing. "We have combed through the whole field, and even throughout Hyrule. She is nowhere near where the horse was located … Sir."

"You have to keep looking," Link ordered. "She has to be here somewhere. Look behind every rock if necessary, knock on doors if you see fit …"

"And here I thought I was the one supposed to give orders." Zelda said in an attempt to ease up the tension, though knowing it was unlikely to. She had to remain hopeful of Malon's fate and she had to stand strong for those around her. She deeply believed Link needed to see that she wasn't worried concerning Malon. And although sarcasm wasn't her strong suite she felt she had to make an effort.

Link saw the Queen coming up behind the guard, standing at his side. She was wrapped in a silky white robe with golden laces tightly knot around her trimmed waist. "I'm sorry, my Queen," Link uttered halfheartedly. "I did not see you."

Zelda made an effort to smile in response, before passing her attention to the guard. "Tell your men to keep looking," she said. "And as Link kindly suggested," she tried with her sarcasm, "I would see it proper if you start looking in town as soon as dawn start arising and the people start to come to. There is no need to wake them up in the middle of the night, for a matter I highly doubt they know anything of."

Link wanted to say something to demonstrate his disagreement. If somebody did know something, he or she could get away with it during the night now when darkness protected their trail. It was most likely the best time to find a witness who'd seen what happened or to catch other perpetrators as fewer people are out at night. But he held his tongue.

"You are to be dismissed."

The guard bowed. "Yes my Queen," he said, before walking in opposite direction. As the guard walked off Link made an effort trying to ease the burden he knew Zelda bore on her shoulders.

"You look saddened."

"I was thinking about the guards... the ones I sent after you. I got word just before you arrived with Kayla that they had been killed by more cloaked riders." She paused. "Link, I am sorry they never got to you."

"These riders…," Link thoughtfully said, "they are Ganon's?"

"Yes," Zelda replied. After moments of silence Zelda spoke up again."Link, I am unaware of Ganon's part in this but I fear he could try and reach Malon though his dark power. I must not let that happen. I have…,"

"You don't intend to fight him," Link interrupted her, he looked worried but determined.

Zelda took a moment before answering: "No." She looked at him. She could tell something was on his mind. "You are thinking of Malon?" There was no reply but she could tell he was. He had the same empty expression as when he first learned Malon was not at the castle. She knew he felt betrayed. "I can see your lacking faith in me," Zelda said. Her eyes, elegantly fixed themselves at the tile floor.

Link found no words to differ with.

"Link," Zelda still did not look at him. "I know how much you want to see her safe, as do I. But we cannot accuse or bother innocent people with this matter. I also fear something has happened to Malon, but as long as we know nothing of it, we can't start looking for it."

"You sounded differently when you asked me to collect the spiritual stones. Then you actually took action."

"Yes but you do not understand, this is neither yours nor my fight, it is out of the boundaries of this world out of its realm." Zelda lastly looked at him with eyes gleaming like diamonds, from the tears that threatened to fall. "My people, all of them are in the hands of her, I no longer feel her spirit in this world. It is a truth that you cannot see and so I do not blame you for losing faith in me Link but trust that I have done all that I can for Malon."

Link felt tears coming through his eyes but he did not respond. Somehow he couldn't help but to blame Zelda, the gods and even himself for Malon's involvement and disappearance. Even though deep down he knew Zelda was right and Malon would have been the chosen one regardless of anything.

"I suggest you get some sleep." Zelda's voice sounded low, like if she wanted to tell him something but feared for it to ever get out. She gave him a smile encouraging him that it would be alright, Link saw she was not at ease and that there was no guarantee behind that smile. That is when it suddenly occurred to him he'd forgotten to believe. He saw her as she went along the hallway rounding the corner with her personal guard.

Outside a carriage was waiting ordered by Zelda for her departure.


	9. Chapter 9

Malon pushed herself up from the ground, and quickly brushed off the piece of dust that had gotten on her dress. She took no notice of the mud-stains which would probably never come out. Before she might have but today, today was different.

As her head lifted she noticed the crows sudden and vigorous movements fluctuating in front of her. With a hand gesture she waved it away, focusing her attention toward the lake.

Cautiously she was straddling toward the lake, feeling as she walked, a weakness possessing her.

Her clothes sat like a second skin on her frozen body and from deep within her chest came a hoarse whisper that traveled out of her mouth and into the chilly night atmosphere.

As she eventually reached the lake, her knees buckled and Malon fell down on her fours, seeing two eyes akin to purple gemstones staring back at her from the rippling surface.

At first, her body tensed then as a reflex she tossed herself onto her back, shoving herself away with her legs. Carefully she lifted her head, still on her back but to her astonishment the lake did not attack, it didn't even move. Malon's breathing calmed down rapidly, and she crawled back.

Malon pressed a hand hard to her chest, feeling the brisk thumping of her heart, before warily looking back down, she saw herself down in the lake. The skin on her face and neck was shaded in a darkened gray, she made a grimace and discovered that the glossy surface mimicked her actions. She hoisted her lips seeing her fang in the corner of her mouth as she formed a grin like expression. She closed her mouth and traced up to her hair. It had gone into an even richer red, matching her two eyebrows, which now formed a finer, fuller arch of red.

She was and felt different but somehow it didn't seem to frighten her nor bother her, it was as if she saw the world on whole new level. She was shocked of the waters power though and lifted her hand to touch. The action she made had sent the water to ripple away in the shiny lake, turning into bigger and bigger circles, until disappearing into nothing.

"_Come back_." Her voice sounded much raspy, as she called after the circles. "_We won't hurt you_."

Malon fixed her eyes on the spot where she'd seen the rings of water vanish and patiently waited for them to come back, but the surface remained tranquil. The only sounds that could be heard were the winds, as they flew slowly past her, fearlessly tugging her hair.

The circles didn't come and though she should have been raged she simply moved back giving the water some space while continuing to discover herself.

She gazed at her hands, looking at her long black nails and lifting a finger, slowly caressing one of them then balancing the tip of her nail on the edge of her middle finger. Her head moved closer to her newfound revelation. With her neck stretched back she watched and felt, out of pure curiosity, seeing from all the different angles.

She loved the softness of her skin, so vulnerable and timid. Her hand set out tracing the gray skin of her arm, following the blue vein that mapped out on the inside of her arm. It slowly came up towards the edge of her white shirt. The fabric felt different, from her skin. Her hands began feeling her body. Stroking the rough material, but aching for more skin. She felt her breasts, stomach and hips stroking against her fabrics, scratching against her as her hands moved from her sides and down.

Her sharp nails started to scratch and wrench on the shell of her clothes, and unexpectedly she heard a loud tearing noise, making her eyes widen in alarm. She looked around herself, she was standing in the middle of a thick, blue forest shaded in the dark night sky. She rose up to her knees, hearing suddenly a noise crying through the forest. Her head turned in an attempt to locate the noise but couldn't see through the many trees.

However Malon couldn't care less for the noise and gave up quite quickly, directing her attention back to the soothing feeling of the darkness covering her body.

Her hands detected warmth and a thumping repeating in her chest.

Malon stretched out both her arms in front of her and watched the ripped piece of clothing that now sat on her upper body. It looked like a vest only slanting to the side. She gazed down on her bare arms. Her left hand made it over to her right arm, and again she began tracing the blue veins. The higher she got the harder she pressed against her skin and soon she felt how blood began zippering out from the cut she'd made on the upper part of her arm.

The blood leisurely ran down on the side of her arm, and dripped down to the muddy ground. She counted the drops. She felt the streams of a dark sticky substance. With it came a fire that burned as the blood rhythmically pumped out of her arm. But she couldn't help but to love the harsh pleasuring feeling of pain.

Just the mere word 'pain' sent chills down her spine.

Just as she was about to make another cut something in the lake caught her attention.

The circles had come back but they were not alone, a cough intertwined the calmness and was now causing the ripples in the water. The cough was loud, echoing around them, making the circles move faster. Malon leisurely stood up. "Wait here for us," she said and turned her back against the lake.

Malon's eyes swept over her surroundings. Darkness mixed lovely with the heavy fog in the thick forest of empty trees. A horrid stench forced itself down her throat and pierced her nostrils, a stench of moldering.

Something was moving flanked by the trees making fog scatter somewhat. Malon squinted out into the blue darkness trying to see what it was, but only caught sight of a black shape. It moved quickly. Malon, curious of what it was, attempted to walk over to it. Her shoeless foot regularly sunk down in the mud as she walked.

A child's soft humming filled the forest, it sounded close as if stroking past her ear the nearer she got.

"_He stole my dolly_," it whispered, before breaking out in a fit of laughter that bounced off the trees.

Malon's raspy breathe grew louder as her pace increased and with each second getting closer. The laughter continued. The tone sounded much like a little girls.

"_He shouldn't have done that_."

Malon walked through a glade of yellowish light, and stopped as she saw a hollow-eyed girl stare at her from the depths of the darkness. The girl's lips were lilac and her unyielding powder white skin showed every bone in her body. She didn't move, like Malon had seen her shadow do before and Malon noticed that somehow the girl's body had gotten wet. The water dripped down her thin frame and her black hair clung onto her face. Her feet were full of dark mud, like she'd been running on the lake bottom.

The forest suddenly turned quiet, and Malon was able to hear the heavy breathing of the girl. It sounded like growls.

She opened her mouth, showing her uneven teeth and at the same time letting gulps of air escape her lips.

Malon took a step closer to the girl, feeling somewhat intrigued by the girls appearance. The moon's light amplified and almost touched the girl, but immediately stopped right before her mudded feet.

"He stole my dolly," The girl repeated, without having any emotions in her eyes. "So I stole his eye." She brought up her ghost like fist into the yellowish light before her and slowly undid it. Her palm had many cuts that were yet to heal, but the thing that interested Malon more was something the girl had in her hand. It was a green eye lying in her open palm, still, with its nerve attached to it, lingering bloody down her wrist.

A lullaby erupted throughout the forest, the little girl seemed to be causing it, but Malon didn't mind. She somehow felt fixated by the eye. She saw it lying in the girls open hand. Malon walked over to the girl, only breaking the complex contact they had to look at the eye.

"Touch it," the girl whispered, showing her uneven teeth once more.

Malon didn't hesitate. She felt her fingertips itch out of excitement. She reached out to stroke its cold, shiny white with her fingertips.

XxXxXx

Malon could suddenly feel the raw scent of the ocean air. The water's waves were splashing against her dead frame. And with a heavy groan she opened one violet eye.

Her body was lying on a hard beach that she'd never seen before, and with a grave motion Malon hauled herself up on her feet.

The sky was clouded, and Malon reckoned that a storm was near. Gulls laughingly flew over the gray sky, paying no heed to the strong winds which blew underneath Malon's wet skirt, pulling it alongside her flapping apron.

Voices could be heard, as they outdid the howling winds and the raving water. It sounded like a young girl and a man.

Malon began walking towards the direction of the voices, but stopped as she noticed that her feet gave no footprints in the sand. She bent down to touch it, but detected that she was unable to leave any scratch marks with her nails.

The voices became higher, as the winds got stronger, towing in Malon's clothes.

Malon could see a green lighthouse which stood tall on a sloped cliff before the beach. There was a bright clinging sound of metal fervently banging against each other. They hung in strings and filled the heavens near the lighthouse. Embedded in all surrounding sounds Malon could make out a voice, it belonged to a man, he was shouting.

"_Daemon,_" he yells. "You're a daemon sent from hell to lure me. You're nothing but a little whore!"

A girl answered, but her voice was swallowed by the raging water.

"_Just hand it over_!" He roars.

Malon walked over a small hill, as the sight of a pier opened up in front of her. She could clearly make out two persons standing on it, arguing.

One of them held a little doll.

Malon slowly walked down the narrow hill, feeling how rain fell down her face soaking her clothes even more.

"_No_!" The hold of the doll tightens in her embrace. "_You can't have him_!"

As Malon's feet leaded her out on the pier the sky darkened into nearly black and the rain had become heavier. She moved over to the man, quiet like a shadow, even though Malon had suspected that they couldn't see her as they paid her no attention.

She watched the man's piercing green eyes. They were red and spat was spewing from his plumped lips.

With the help of her fingertips, Malon brushed the man's cheek, following his harsh jawbone. His wet black bangs nearly hung over his eyes, but with a swift motion of his neck, the man managed to draw it away.

"_Hand it over_." His voice came through clenched teeth but his lips moved with every syllable.

Malon looked over at the girl, and down to the doll in her arms. It was formed as a normal doll with brown hair loosely pulled into a ponytail. Whatever importance the doll had, Malon could not decipher. Perhaps the man intended to hurt her by taking it away.

The girls black hair hung like a curtain down her pale face, but she did not bother to pull it away, Malon was just able to make out her eyes in-between the stripes of hair. They were green just like the mans. It was strange but just as Malon's eyes made contact with hers Malon got the feeling that the girl could see her.

"_What are you looking at_?!" The man demanded. Malon took a couple of steps back trying to follow their argument from a distance, without disturbing the picture. "_Answer me_!" The man sought to outdo the abrupt wave that splashed against the pier. But when the girl did not take her eyes away from Malon, nor answer, the man had had enough. He got a hold of the dolls head, trying to rip it away from her and successfully got it out the screaming girl's arms.

"_Give it back_!" she yelled through the rain. She ran at the man and jumped at his back, clawing at his face. "_Don't you dare touching him with your filthy hands!_"

Malon backed up another set of steps, only stopping as her bare foot nearly slipped the edge of the wooden pier. The callous rain felt like freezing knifes against Malon's face, and it made her sight blurry.

Malon tried to blink away the oncoming showers, losing her focus on the fighting duo. Her short hair clung to her face.

She tried to wipe the water out of her eyes and she could vaguely make the two out. The man struggled to get the girl off his back, as he shouted in agony. The girl still scratched the man's face but there was something else. One hand seemed to be coursing down his eye. Another shriek of pain came from his lips. The girl's bloody fingers dug themselves deeper and deeper in, gripping his eye and in one stroke, tearing it out of its chamber. The eye was dripping in her hand with its nerve still attached to it. It was swaying in the air as she held it up. The blood mixed with the rain, it followed the girls wrist and arm.

A small snicker swelled on Malon's lilac painted lips, showing her sharp fang.

Malon took a step forward noticing something under her foot. It was the doll, the man must have lost it. She bent down to pick it up, seeing that it had the head of a real human, someone she knew.

Talon's head.

Its brown eyes stared at her, giving her a horrid look as his lips parted, releasing a heavy pant, before mumbling, "_Nosce te!_"

The man's torturing yells brought Malon took look away from the doll for a split second and face the now one eyed man. There was a deep black hole where the left eye once been, and blood gushed down like tears.

"_The doll!_" He yelled as he reached for the girl and pushed fiercely over to where Malon was standing, casing them both to fall down the frozen ocean. The last Malon heard was the girls aching scream as they fell.

XxXxXx

Malon gasped, as her eyes snapped open, meeting the face of the hollow-eyed girl inches away from her.

"Don't touch us!" Malon's raspy voice demanded. The girl merely laughed.

"I stole his eye, I stole his eye. He took my dolly so I stole his eye!"

The fog began thickening nearly covering the young girl, as she'd begun humming the words, her lullaby. The moon's glow faded away when a cloud covered its path, and the girl began ebbing away into nothingness. "The doll," she said. "Did you like it?"

Malon looked at her.

"I made it myself." Another fit of laughter emitted through the forest, as she ripped off her pinky nail. "I took his head." Her voice sounded much weak, and soon all Malon could hear was the whispering of her lullaby: "I stole his eye, I stole his eye. He took my dolly so I stole his eye."

After that she was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hello! God I'm FINALLY updating! Wow, I just needed to get that out of my system. Now that I have the chance there is someone I like to apologize to "Anonymous Malink". He/she told me of some things that he/she thought I should fix. I told Him/her that I would look it over, but haven't yet. Don't think that I'm ignoring what you said, because I'm not. I haven't really had the time to correct any of my mistakes yet. But sometime in the future I definitely will and yours will be the first that I deal with!

Now there is just one more thing I like to say. My story's celebreating its tenth chapter!! That's totally astonishing since I didn't think that people would like it this much!! I'm truly grateful to you all, and further more, there will be a hole lot of chapters to follow.

Oh and yeah, while I have it in mind, should chapter nine be rated M or not? I didn't say anything about it since I don't know the line between T and M. I would be happy if someone could inform me of this. Thanks in advance.

Now enjoy!

* * *

Malon's walk turned out to be endless. There seemed to be no end.

Her foot had lost its sense of feeling. Her skirt had gotten thorn in various places. Something seemed to follow Malon. She could hear its heavy breathing.

Malon walked in silence. She hadn't uttered a word after meeting the girl.

The dense mist appeared to cease as Malon approached to a specified clearing. Somehow Malon felt drawn to its light.

A murmur came from the light. It spoke to her. What was said was hard to decipher. But a strong whispering was there.

Malon walked closer. She wanted to explore the pure shaft of light. A ray of dust waltzed around in the golden light. She stretched out her hand, breaking the light with her fingertips. Quite suddenly, as the light had met her hand, her skin began clearing. It became pale.

Malon withdrew her hand quicker then a child who's hand first discovered fire. She studied her hand. A thought that doubted what really happened, penetrated Malon's mind. She reached her hand out toward the light again. Just to clarify.

As her hand met the fair light, it turned into the same tint of pale, perhaps even the same shade that it had been before, before all this began and she was _home_.

"No." Malon finally spoke. "It can't do this. Not to us."

"… _Come_," the light murmured. "_Come to me_." It sounded like a woman's voice, it was calm.

"Witch," Malon hissed back.

The light came to dampen and sounds around it seemed to hush down after this. For a fleeting second Malon could have sworn she saw the ray of dust … transform? It had the shape of a woman. Malon blinked. Seconds passed and she opened her eyes. It had disappeared, vanished. Malon felt how she began to un-tense, but stiffed up only seconds later.

"_Come_." The voice had picked up once more. "_Come to me_."

Malon hoisted an eyebrow. There was something about the strong, dazzling light that caught her eye.

The dancing dust took the shape of a woman, the one Malon saw earlier, only it was closer this time. A hand spread out from the shaft. It got a hold of Malon's wrist and yanked her into the light.

Malon felt the light throughout her. Cleansing her, holding her. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the sudden and forceful pain.

Malon tried to wrench her hand away from the dust-shaped woman's grip. "Let me go," she pleaded. "… it hurts."

"I know." The voice sounded soothing. "Try and relax. Do not fight it …you have nothing to fear."

Malon's breathe hitched. If it was from the rising pain or from her astonishment of the fact that a dust-shaped woman just dragged her into the shaft, Malon did not know. Tears began to blur her vision.

"Please…" Malon tried to withdraw her hand.

The dust-shaped woman pulled her closer. "I know how it feels," she said. "Almost like the life is squeezed out of you, am I correct?"

Malon closed her tear filled eyes, nodding still.

"I see." The woman seemed thoughtful. "It is doing you well then."

"… well?" Malon panted.

"Yes. This means my powers are working, it is important that we speak but we do not have much time, there are so many strong forces here." Malon opened her eyes. She saw a clear shape of the woman that stood before her. She was dressed in a silk white dress made for a goddess. "Malon." The woman bent down. Malon realized that she was lying on the ground. "If I am not wrong, the pain should have repelled?"

Malon could not suppress the shocked gasp that escaped her. "How did you …"

"Malon, do you not feel as if a weight's been lifted from your shoulders?"

Strangely Malon found herself nodding. First now Malon could feel how different from her old self she had been, she did feel free but her memories from what had happened was blurred. She knew what she had experienced but it was almost as if she …or rather her spirit, if referring to it as such, had been a passive observer of what had happened. She remembered feeling drained, weakened and then suddenly nothing, her pain was gone. Malon lifted her head toward the woman;" I do."

The woman smiled brightly now showing her true form. A form Malon seemed to know, a feeling presented itself … it felt warm. She propped herself up with her elbows. "Link," she said. "I'm sorry but when I looked at you ... I …I see him."

This only made the woman smile vivid. "My name is Marin."

Malon frowned. "I'm not familiar with that name."

The woman became silent. She looked into Malon's eyes, showing a proud yet peaceful side of herself.

"The friend of whom you've referred to … I am his mother."

Of course. Of course she must have been. Who else? The resemblance was striking. They owned the same lip and nose. Eyes even. Everything started to fall into place. There was just one thing. "You're red headed."

"I know." Marin agreed. "Link's father was a fond of red, much like his son."

Malon blushed. "You know about that." It was strange but somehow Malon didn't mind much that she did know about her and Link, she found herself at ease around Link's mother.

"There are very few things I do not know of, Malon." A serious shape now took place in Marin's beautiful facial features. "I even know of your fate."

"Fate?" Malon echoes.

"I beg you to forgive me but what I see troubles me some." Marin looked away. "I am not fond of what I have seen."

Malon let a hand go through her hair. "Why?"

"Fate can always change," Marin continued, not paying any heed to Malon's question. "One destiny is chosen to all, but that doesn't mean it is how your life will come to place. It is changeable.

"For some fate is changed for the worse, caused to die at a young age. But does that truly mean that their death was righteous even though it was destined?" Marin's eyes met Malon's. "There are people who are alive and who some might say deserve death. At times more so than those who have already had their lives taken away from them."

"I don't follow …?"

Marin shook her head. "I am glad." She stood up and handed Malon her hand. "Let us take a walk," she said.

XxXxXx

Marin led Malon into a garden. There was a small gravel path lingering between deluges of bushes in different height and shapes. The trees that blocked the skies before seemed to die out the further they walked onto the small path and the moon could be seen towering the sky.

The moon's silver luminosity shun down on a bigger pond that opened up in front of Malon's eyes. The moon's round image was reflected in the water, making it sparkle like a diamond.

Malon, could not, with any of the words she knew of, describe the gardens beauty.

"Beautiful is it not?" Marin said, as if she could read Malon's mind.

"Very."

"It makes me think that in the most desperate of times not all the worlds hope is lost." Marin saw Malon's attempt to walk towards the pond. She got a hold of her arm. "Stay close to me," Marin explained as she observed Malon's astonished face. "I do not wish for it to return yet, there are still things at this stage only this part of your being is ready to hear."

Malon placed herself closer to Marin. "_It_?"

Marin nodded. "That thing, which previously bestowed you, my powers shields it out." Marin gave Malon a quick look. Marin seemed worried by it. "Its presence is still within you."

"What do you mean 'within me'?" Malon tried to gain eye-contact. "I thought whatever it was, that it would be gone."

Marin shook her head, making time stand still as she avoided meeting Malon's puzzled face. "Here my powers are not strong enough."

"Here?" Malon felt confused and began to feel tired of all unanswered questions. "Marin you're making no sense."

Marin gave out a still-full sigh. Her gaze went over to the glistering pond. Something was lurking underneath the blue water, sending ripples on the surface. "This place, do you know what it is?" Malon shook her head. "It is called the realm between realms." Marin placed some strands of her long hair behind her ear. "Here people come when they died too early for their time. Leaving them unable to do or tell of something that they know they should have."

"You mean that they are living dead?" Malon asked feeling a cold chill run alongside her spine.

"No." Marin met Malon. "They are what I can only describe as restless spirits … not zombies." She said with a smile easing up the tension if ever so little.

Malon's mind thought back to the ghostlike girl and goosebumps covered Malon's body. "Spirits?"

"Spirits," Marin confirmed. "Every day they walk in this realm. Writhing in agony for something they did or could not do. They are experiencing the pain and agony of the actions in which they are here held. Their memories torment them for as long as they stay in this world, re-living the same event for each passing day."

Malon mused over this for a while. A thick silence was left between the two women.

"You mean that the spirits do the same thing every day …forever, they re-live one single moment?" She placed a hand on her chin in a thoughtful manner. "Like a procedure of some sort?"

"Yes."

"Then how can you break that procedure? Make them stop?" Malon wished to know.

Marin shrugged her shoulder looking fiercely tormented concerning this subject. "If there is a way, I am not aware of it."

"Maybe I can …," Malon did not finish her sentence. She didn't have to. Marin knew what she wanted to say.

"I trust that too." Another silence grew between them, before Marin broke it. "What is now present in you, the darkness you have experienced; it is a fiend. A powerful force that you always had with you, only now it has once again awakened in you …here, in this world. That is why it here feels as if it consumes you. Do not be afraid, it is a part of you and it is a fast learner," Marin enlightened.

"A part of me!" Malon turned to face Marin. She was too shocked to believe it. "_Me, was I … that thing. Was that who I was, what I was?!_ _It couldn't be._"

"No, it can't be!"

"But it is. It is a part of who you are." Marin did not meet Malon's stare. "I know it must be hard to first now finally discover who you are …to see. But the life you have lived up till now in the other world is also forever part of who you are"

"What are you saying?!" Malon began backing away from the glowing woman.

"Malon you must not go beyond the light!" Marin yelled to no avail. Malon had already set a foot outside the golden light. She began feeling pain emit through her sides.

Her vision became blurry.

"_Don't do that to us ever again!_" The snake like voice whispered inside her head. "_We shall never be separated! Don't do that to us again!_"

"_Ever again! Us will never allow it._"


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hello, I've written and re-written these two chapters a thousand times, it shouldn't have any misspellings.

Oh, and Keane, Isaac and Kayla are my characters © on those! And don't forget to vote on my poll ya'll!

* * *

Kokiri village

"Die you stupid frog! Die before my almighty sword."

"_C'mon Keane_, you almost have him!"

Keane heard how the other children started cheering him on and with a grin of pleasure he swiftly ran down the little fields, chasing the murmur frog. He got closer and closer but knew he had to make it into more of a show before he finished his prey off.

Therefore he stopped, pretending to have suddenly lost his breath. He bent over, leaning his hands on his legs while drawing his breath. Keane attempted to do it as loud as possible, wanting for everyone to hear. The children started laughing behind him.

He turned toward them, adoring every minute of their attention and started bowing as he made sure to read their reactions. While he rose from his final bow he swayed his sword, directing it sharply and carelessly toward the frog, whilst keeping his eye contact with his audience.

A whistling could be heard from his wooden sword, its blade flew the air, splitting it right through. "A coward," he roared. "I will cut you in half!"

After he got the impression Keane had sought from his bystanders, he turned to the frog, throwing himself onto the ground and rolled by its side, blocking its passage. "Now beast you are mine," he charged, lifting his sword above his head to make the final blow.

Just as Keane was about to strike he saw a boy sliding through the grass. Although he tried to strike as fast as he could, the boy had already caught the frog and was now holding it tenderly in his small hands.

"Ohy, what do you think you are doing?!" Keane's eyes went wide.

The boy, sitting crunched down by his feet didn't reply. He caressed the frog in his hand without bothering looking up to meet Keane's enraged face.

After some moments of hefty silence, everyone awaited an answer. The boy leaned over to his side where a tiny creek streamed through. He placed down his hand by the water, allowing the frog that, within no time at all, jumped off into the creek.

Keane didn't move. He was too surprised of what had happened. No one had ever dared to make such fool out of him before.

Behind them the other children eagerly stood, quietly awaiting what would happen next.

If it was anyone else, it wouldn't have seemed at all strange for Keane to, in front of everyone, give the kid what he had comin'. But like everyone else Keane had heard about this kid. He'd heard about his father who died serving her majesty Zelda over at the Lon Lon ranch not more than a week ago. He had died protecting the land from some cloaked riders.

Keane's thoughts travelled back. He remembered his mom, how she'd died a few years ago. He had hated the way people treated him, how they all felt sorry for him. The fact was that no one knew what to say or how to handle it. He knew it wasn't what they had intended but in all the silence and sorrow Keane had never felt more alone.

Over the years Keane had realized that it wasn't just because of his mother's passing that he'd felt alone but because everyone had started treating him as a ghost. They still would, if it hadn't been for the memory of his mother that started to fade in their minds. Except for Keane's mind it seemed.

He knew he had to make an example out of the kid. He couldn't just let someone get to him like that, especially not in front of all his friends. But somehow, though Keane did his best to block out the resemblance between him and the boy, he just couldn't.

Keane thought about it and now decided to treat the boy like any other. He would treat him just as he'd wished to be treated when his mother died. With a grin on his mouth he declared: "Boyh, are you gonna regret that."

The boy rose to his feet, facing down the creek. He watched as his reflection whirled around in the stream. "I don't want any trouble," he said with a low saddened voice.

"Nah, I bet you just want your mommy now, don't ya? Or maybe you think your dead daddy will come save you." In the back, his friends could be heard backing him up with loud cheering.

The boy's body began shaking, he fought to contain his feelings while tightening his fists. But he kept his arms straight alongside his body.

"What is it? Are you gonna' cry like a little baby?" Keane waited for a reaction. He made a loud sigh as he rolled his eyes. "Nah guys, forget about him, he's a little coward, just like his papa! Ha."

Everyone started laughing.

"My father was a hero!" The boy screamed. He turned around with all his power and jumped at Keane making them both fall to the ground. The brown haired boy fought to protect his fathers name with all his heart. Tears fell down his cheeks.

He knew and felt that Keane was stronger but he didn't care. He struggled to hold him down but, rather quickly, got pushed off. Lying on his back he saw how Keane stood up and reached out for his arms. Keane lifted him to his feet and with a swift motion pushed him down the creek.

He landed sitting in the water. The shock from fearing he would drown quickly disappeared when he realized the water was shallow. That certainly was to his advantage since he never learned how to swim.

He looked up. The others were standing by the edge, laughing as they pointed their fingers at him, but he didn't mind. As long as they were laughing at him and not his family he didn't mind.

As he saw Keane, smiling with his shiny eyes looking at him proudly, he in some way realized that Keane had meant him no harm. He actually thought the whole thing had seemed quite _funny_.

A bright smile started to spread its way over the boy's lips. His eyes became smaller and dimples appeared across his face. He couldn't help laughing. He did feel fairly ridiculous sitting there in the water only covered to his waist.

A hand suddenly reached out. "Hey frog ...,"one of the children said with a smile. "…would you like a hand?"

XxXxXx

Zelda sat inside the small carriage. Her hands where suitably placed in her lap. She was dressed in a sky blue evening gown with a toning blue jacket along with a high collar. The ends of the jacket were embedded in flourish gold.

Before she came to the carriage, Zelda enforced composure on herself, not wishing to show that anything troubled her. But reality swiftly approached her and she began fumbling with her thumb-nail, carefully brushing on its perfect cuticle.

Her mind raced back to the discussion she had with Link earlier. All the men she'd sent to ease Link had been killed. This made Zelda wonder how powerful Ganon actually was.

Who could have informed him about Malon?

Could Ganon have helpers on the good side as well? Zelda already knew that he, from his imprisoned sate, was very powerful. But could he maybe plan to take advantage of this fragile situation by abducting Malon?

She shook her head whilst trying to tell herself: _I have to believe that we'd taken all the right precautions. I need to believe that we are at least one step ahead of him_.

She repeated it until a small bit of her believed, but somehow the words that Link had spoken earlier appeared in her mind: _You didn't do all you could to protect her because if you had, then Malon wouldn't be in harm's way. She wouldn't be… where she is. She'd be right here!_

Zelda knew that Link was acting on a rash impulse and that his emotions had spoken for him. She knew he would come to realize that too but still she wondered somehow if he was right. _Could she have handled things differently? _She placed some few strands of her golden hair behind her ear. _Impossible, Malon's fate would have always lead her to the dark side. Of that I am sure. _

Zelda needed to neglect the risk, she had to know if Ganon was involved.

If not he might still know of the things beyond the light dwellers world. After all, he was one of the dark fiends.

Zelda sighed, as she leaned against the soft cushion behind her, whom took her weight with a muffled protest. Her heavy head fell in her hands. Link must have discovered her departure by now

Suddenly a tingle of pain freed itself within her mind. Her hand began glowing, until a light filled her. Zelda tried to protect her eyes from the dazzling flash of white light that glowed in front of her. It began lifting her and carried her feet over a great empty darkness.

Zelda had many times before been taken to such dimensions, though never physically.

Her eyes opened and saw hills bathing in golden light. Petals from all kinds of flowers flew gently in the winds combined with its flowers seed. They caressed her cheeks and nearly made her sneeze. Zelda had entered a place where only pure minds could enter. Marin together with the other six spiritual sages had summoned her there. Something had failed.

XxXxXx

The sun rested low in the sky as the children made their way back to the village houses. They passed a lot of villagers who rested alongside the grass, watching the beautiful sunset after a long days work. The silence between them only broke by the occasional laughter from the playing kids that ran along them.

Keane and his friends had decided to walk the young boy home. They traveled the green surroundings, talking and laughing until they came to a small wooden house.

"Right, guyss I ssee my mom," The boy smilingly lisped. He made a friendly fist and loosely hit it against Keane's shoulder.

Keane looked over at the house seeing a woman. She waved friendly, balancing a basket of clothes between her hip and hand. Keane nodded approvingly.

The boy hastily looked up at Keane before running toward his mother. As he ran he heard Keane shouting from behind: "Hey _frog_ …." The boy turned. "… see you later, huh?"

He smiled brightly and nodded in return before running over to his mother who'd dropped her basked and opened her arms to catch her son.

He ran into her arms. She held him up gently and stroked her little boy's head. "I missed you sweetheart," she said. "But oh look at that smile. It seems you have found some new friends?" She tickled him playfully.

The smile was enough as a reply. She knew her boy was happy. She let him down and he helped her by picking up the basket as they walked over to the house.

The sky was orange and a cloudlike red laid wide in the horizon. As they reached the door they turned to look at the skies beauty. A mild wind blew past and nuzzled into his mother's hair. She laughed as her hair covered her eyes.

She looked over at her son and saw his bright smile reflecting her own. She knew exactly why the both of them where this happy. It was each other's company. She bent down to her son and kissed him on the cheek: "I love you Isaac."

"I love you too mmom."

She'd always thought it sounded adorable when he'd let the words slide so gently with an extra syllable. Isaac'd found it annoying at times, but lastly accepted it, which his mother couldn't be happier to learn. He'd lisped ever since he'd learned how to talk and it had become a part of who he was.

_He would soon turn ten_ she thought as he looked at the sun painting Isaac in a soft tint orange. B_ut he was still as loving towards everything and everyone he met. _Isaac was the kind of boy who saw good things in everything and everyone. Isaac's mother had always loved that about him but knew it would become more difficult for her to protect him as he grew. She feared that his goodness would one day hurt him. Now more then ever, when his father was gone.

She'd always tried to shield Isaac as they'd lived more and more like outsiders ever since Isaac's father joined her majesty's army. She knew that if a kokiri ever left the forest they were destined to die, but the Queen who promised him a place in her army bestowed him with such power as to leave the forest.

That decision was made a long time ago, when Isaac was only a few months. They had lived without him since. The only thing that made it livable for her was Isaac and the fact that she could hear from his father by letters. Even though she tried her best not to give in to it, there would always be a great sorrow in her heart for her late husband.

XxXxXx

Impa had received a letter, but was rather reluctant to read its content. But something she couldn't ignore was that it in fact was a letter of royal command. It said to hold a trial of challenges and Impa had to select the final champion, the worthiest in the midst of the strong participants of each challenge. The finalist, elected by Impa, would proceed according to Queen Zelda's direct order, the order that was prearranged to them in a second letter that would be in Impa's possession till a contestant was selected.

The manner of this mission after the trial Impa was not informed but in the first letter it specifically stood that the champion that were chosen had to hold many impressive skills.

Impa held up the second letter which was to remain sealed and then turned back to finish the first.

Her eyes scrolled down.

Another rather odd request was that Link under no circumstance was to be informed about the challenges of the trial and that it was to take place in Kokiri village.

A request of the bravest and most legendary warriors should be sent out around the kingdom but under no circumstance were they allowed to mention the trial or its location. This **would **be held in secrecy, without Ganon's knowledge.

Zelda's final words read: "_The heavy burden of this request lies on your shoulders, you could be our final hope but please know you are not alone… and Impa? Good luck._

_Zelda."_


	12. Chapter 12

Zelda wrote with determination. Her hair fell in front of her and her usually striking handwriting turned unstable as she feverishly wrote on her lap in the shaking carriage. She wrote what was to become the order of the trial of challenges, held within Kokiri village.

Kokiri village, that Zelda had chosen, was an excellent selection because of its magical sphere allowing its people to live eternally. _It wouldn't arouse much suspicion_ Zelda thought, _because nobody would ever expect them to engage in anything outside the boundaries of their village._ They were a friendly, harmless kind and would be almost impossible to suspect of any abnormality. There the contest could be held under the noses of all in her kingdom.

It was with great discomfort Zelda had decided to keep this knowledge unknown to her people and to Link. But Zelda knew that it was the best way of ensuring their safety, even Link's.

Because Zelda knew Link, maybe far more then he himself suspected. She knew that if he were ever to find out about her plans, he was bound to take this mission on himself. Something she did not wish. Whoever left for this mission, Zelda presumed would never return. And it troubled her greatly to send someone on such an assignment, but someone, rather than Link, needed to go. Because her kingdom still required Link's protection more now than ever.

Zelda knew Link would never betray his loyalty to this country. She also knew that Link would have the same opinions as her in the end. He would see why Zelda couldn't let him go instead of _the new warrior_that was to be selected by Impa. Link didn't see the risks that would come to pass if the light dwellers didn't reign. All he wished was to save Malon and Zelda could not desire for anything more than to see her safe as well. But things had turned; Malon wasn't the only thing that stood at stake anymore.

Zelda had since before been informed of the stakes if the good did not prevail and she had been involved with the preparations and precautions taken. The sages had, like many times before, summoned Zelda. They had communicated with her through her mental abilities and decided that Malon would be in need of guidance once she had arrived to the place named _realm between realms_. Marin, aware of the dangers, accepted to inform Malon of this and to keep her out of harm's way.

After that, Zelda hadn't had any contact with them, until the very day when Zelda decided to meet Ganon. Marin informed her that she'd succeeded to make contact with the other realm and met Malon. Zelda had given her a tired smile. _If Malon were aware of this… then maybe she could…_

_However_… Marin had something troubling stored. She'd failed to inform Malon of what the sages refer to as the _paths_.

"Without the knowledge of what she is capable of, she might see the wrong path. And that could lead to severe consequences affecting the lighter side's world…" Rauru had spoken.

Upon hearing this Zelda's fear, for her country's and for the world's fate, grew.

Reality caught up with her and Zelda lifted her hand against the carriage window. She saw the green land of her kingdom rush past the window and knew she would sacrifice anything to keep it safe.

_Impa and her brave new warrior could be their last hope_ Zelda thought as she turned to the second letter. Her eyes laid heavy on it as she thought of its content and over the life that most definitely would meet a sudden death.

XxXxXx

"Hey, frog! Frog. Wake up!"

Isaac's sleep got interrupted, there was someone by his bedroom window. He woke as he heard someone knocking.

Isaac rose from his bed. He stepped over to the window. He was yawning slightly and rubbing his eyes awake. He looked through the window. Squinting, barely enough to see through the darkness and to make out Keane's figure. Isaac opened the window.

"Hey Frog you won't believe this! Zelda might be coming! She's already sent for people! They're _here_!" Keane tried to catch his breath. "And…and they're putting up some sort of contest, my father is helping them…"

"But what are you doing? It'ss still dArk?" His voice broke.

"Yeah, I know," Keane said trying to imitate a dark grownups voice. "But I am, you know, allowed." He shrugged.

"Your father let you go outside while it's dark?!!" Isaac raised his sweet high pitched voice.

"Nooo!" Keane jumped up to cover Isaac's mouth with his hand. Isaac gave Keane a puzzled look.

"Okay. He didn't exactly let me go… but I had to see? This, this is my dream I've always wanted to fight for Queen Zelda." Keane started rumbling his words, "Just like my mom, ya know! Before she went crazy and all that, y-y…you get it?" He looked up slightly confused. He wondered if Isaac had followed.

"Hmhmh, nnnghuu," Isaac mumbled. Isaac mumbled smiling with his eyes and pointing up at Keane's hand still covering Isaac's mouth.

"Oh? Sorry." Keane's eyes twinkled excitingly in the dark. He removed his hand from Isaac's mouth.

"Yeah, Iii get it, but I don't think you're sstrong enough, _you know_, if a little '_frog'_ could push you over." He smiled, keeping his head tilted to the side.

"Ha ha, very funny!" Keane grinned slightly.

"But what do you have to do? To win I mean?"

"To win?" Keane frowned. "It's not a game you know. You don't 'win'." He rolled his eyes, _Isaac was so naive_. "You get picked. And so you need to _prove_ that you're brave enough, that you have the guts. And I do, I know I do." Keane bowed his head. "It's always been my dream… to see what's out there… ever since my mom…"

Isaac had no problem reading Keane. This really _was_ his dream. He put his hand on Keane's head and patted it softly. "I'll help you."

Keane looked up. He had tears in his eyes, he smiled.

XxXxXx

Impa stood on a mountain nearby Kokiri forest. She was accompanied by her closest guards, her friends. They were all looking over the village, seeing how the contestants began arriving. They had all come here, to show themselves worthy. Worthy to die.

Impa faced her next in command. "We're returning back to the village," she said with a calm and gentle voice. He nodded and they quickly traveled back down on horseback. Impa knew that now there was no time to lose.

xxxxxxxxxx

In town there was full commotion. Impa saw the Kokiri villages, all working to the max of their abilities, excited to be of help to Queen Zelda. Tents were put up for the contestants to rest in and obstacle courses and tracks were created for the many challenges the able had to compete in.

In all, there would be around thirty different challenges. Each challenge testing a certain skill, difficult enough to reassure no one could win by accident.

The rest was up to the constants. The better they handled each of the challenges the more each person had to prove, in order to beat all the others.

Over at the village entrance experienced and inexperienced warriors proudly signed their names on a parchment scroll as a mark to attend the challenges.

Around the rising tents, children could be heard playing. Impa looked at them, thinking that all that stood between the unspoken and a horrid atmosphere of battle was the innocent presence of those laughing children. Without them, the heavy worry that hinted lightly above would come piercing down like spears of rain.

There was moist in the air and the clouds began moving in fast. She lifted one of the ropes attached to her tent and drew it back, pulling the up the tent with the help of other efforts. Some nails spiked the tent to the ground, right before silent raindrops began falling but that was of no worry. Her tent was ready.

Impa looked out over the tents and crowds that had formed. In the corner of her eye she saw the many trees that gave the Kokiri their protection, the many brave signing up. _It had begun_.

Behind her some kind Kokiri called out for her: "Miss Impa," she said. "You're tent is ready!"

"I know," Impa replied underneath her breath. "I know _it's _ready…" She looked out over the open forest and all surrounding people. "…I just hope they are."

XxXxXx

The competition had been going on all day. The sun stood high on the second day, the preparations had been finished and the challenges had since sunrise begun. It was to no surprise everyone wanted to prove themselves the best and strongest and Keane was no exception. In the midst of the timing terrain area two boys passed through.

"The funniest is when the Gorons jumps. Don't you think?" Isaac asked, trying to lighten up the mood but Keane didn't reply. He was in no such mood. He'd been trying to join in the challenges all day but without much luck.

Most Kokiri that wasn't participating in the challenges had been assigned with other task. And to Keane's annoyance one of them was making sure no child tried to join.

Keane was only thirteen. He had easily tricked the outsiders into believing he was older. But it was a whole other thing trying to convince his own kind that he was an adult. One would say it wasn't _easy_.

Most of the morning, the boys had spent _trying_to sign in over at the parchment scroll. They had been the first two in the line that morning since Keane'd known the big news before any other Kokiri thanks to his Dad.

The both of them had smiled brightly towards the Kokiri who stood bent over the scroll on a high stool. He was the one that gave the permission to sign. Isaac had noticed that the scroll lied on a high but very thin wooden desk and that the parchment reached all the way down to the grass.

The boys waited suitably for their permission to get the pen and sign.

But the boys' smiles were not returned as they were directed to leave. And ever since then, Keane and Isaac had joined the massive line numerous of times trying to get the Kokiri's permission to sign in all ways they could think off but all their efforts turned out to be most unfortunate.

When Keane's patience had reached its limit, he even tried to sneak through to the challenges. That too ended up pretty bad.

But even though all his and Isaac's ideas had met their quick ends, Keane had no intention of giving up. As dawn turned to noon and noon turned to late afternoon they had struggled ever once thinking of resting. But pretty soon there was one grave situation Keane could not ignore: his belly. They hadn't eaten since the day before.

All excitement must have made him forget.

But they had no rupees and there was no way Keane would ever leave. Not even to go home for just a second. Instead he decided that they'd go find his father, who was there among the crowds somewhere.

They asked around until they found a tent. They had been told that his father was inside discussing some urgent matters.

Keane who was not in a very good mood tried getting passed the guard that secured the tent's only way in but things didn't go exactly as planned, history repeated itself…

Keane sat on the ground. He was rubbing his butt as he'd fallen over trying to push back the persistent guard. His eyes met the guard's who looked back at him with an expressionless face.

He sighed, lifting his head. He looked over at the tent and swiftly came up with an idea.

_The tent _Keane thought_. I can crawl under it! _He rose to his feet, whistling innocently as he walked up to Isaac's side. Keane laid his arm around Isaac's neck where they stood feet away from the guard. "I think I know how to get in!" He whispered proudly.

"How?" Isaac's eyes contained huge curiosity.

"The tent, we can get in underneath it." Isaac nodded. They then split to fool the guard and met up behind the tent's rear-side. Keane was about to speak when Isaac hushed him by placing a hand on his mouth.

"Did you hear that?" Isaac asked, nodding toward the tent. Keane strived to answer, but Isaac hushed him again.

"This is the letter," a woman's voice spoke from inside the tent.

Isaac bent down about to crawl in when Keane suddenly grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, wait. Let's find out what they're saying," he whispered. "Help me lift this." He placed a hand on the edge of the tent.

Together they lifted the edge and peered inside. All they saw was four feet. But both could hear perfectly what was being said.

"…I'm not aware of what it contains…" Isaac recognized the woman's voice to be lady Impa's voice. He wondered what she could have to inform Keane's father of, but hesitated to ask. "…that is why I can't ensure you the safe return of the person that will be selected." There was a brief pause in which neither Keane nor Isaac dared to breath.

"All I know, is that her majesty whishes only for the best of them to proceed and for _one_to be chosen." They moved towards the opening of the tent. "His …or her orders will be directly given to them in this letter." That was the last thing the boys could hear before Lady Impa and Keane's father were exiting the tent.

"Did you see that? I mean do you get it? I don't need to win! I-I just need to get a hold of the letter! Frog I could kiss you!" Keane laughed as he gave Isaac a big and tight embrace.

"But, Keane s..sshe said maybe you wouldn't be coming back…"

"Frog." Keane temporarily thought of Isaac's naïve personality. "Don't worry okay? I know what I'm doing. Besides who says I _want_ to come back? Maybe I'll love it!" Keane was beside himself of joy.

Without waiting for Isaac's protests, he amplified the tents edge and crawled under. He quickly looked around but there was no one else inside. He saw some clothes laying and hanging a little all over the place. And a table was placed in front of a chair alongside a messy bed.

Keane sneaked over to the table where he'd seen his father and the woman talk. There were a lot of papers on the table. He got a hold of a couple but none of them fitted into the image of a letter.

_At least not from a Queen_, he thought and tried to think of how it should look. _Probably royal like_, Keane settled with that. He scratched his head while putting one of his hands into his pant pocket which was a habit of his.

_If I were a letter where would I be? _Keane leaned on the chair while mulling everything over. His eyes glanced at the clothes lying on the chair.

_Hmm… wait a minute… that's right_! The letter _had_ to be in one of her pockets! It would be the perfect place!

He lifted the clothes on the chair. Out of the fabrics lying on the chair only one had a pocket: her jacket.

"Yes," Keane whispered. He reached down carefully, afraid he would end up empty handed. His hand slipped down easily and nudged on something _papery_.

_It's it!_He lifted it up. He'd found it. It was a beige letter, sealed with Her majesty's sigil. He held the letter as if it was the most divine thing in the world.

Outside Isaac nervously awaited his friends return. He was keeping a lookout for Lady Impa, ready to scream if he were to see her.

"I got it!" Keane's head poked out of the opening. Isaac heaved a sigh as he saw Keane's head and quickly helped him lift up the edge and watched as Keane crawled out.

Keane grabbed Isaac's sweater before he'd gotten a look at this foreign letter and hauled behind him as Keane ran off to the hidden shadows beneath the trees and opened it. Keane whispered to Isaac what stood in the letter:

//

_Dear courageous kind:_

_If you're reading this then you are in fact the worthiest of all champions to have competed in the 'trial of challenges' and have been given this letter by my trusted Impa. Your bravery shows your many skills and by being elected winner you have proven that you are capable of handling what most are not. _

_Alias you have proven worthy to bear the heavy burden I must now bestow upon you. And I warn you: it is not a mission to be taken lightly, although I hardly think you will. But you must know that the dangers which you are about to face might very well deprive you of your life. I not only entrust you with the life of this kingdom but with the existence of the good that defines this world. _

_In this letter contains the key to the realm that you must now enter. It will protect you through your passage but as you have reached your destination I am afraid its powers will no longer be of any use to you. _

_Bear this Blue candle close to your heart and travel to Hyrule forest, where black bushes will cover your path. Let this Blue candle reveal the entrance, the portal to the realm between realms. Hurry through as the light will soon fade. _

_As you enter the other realm seek up a woman and call her by the name Malon. You will know it is her if you find you are still alive to call her name. If you are not sure it is her whom you seek, do not encounter, it will do it's best to take your life if you do. _

_Let the strength you bear inside guide you and may hope be with you always. _

//

Minutes of silence washed between the two boys as Keane finished the letter. They looked up at each other. The letter was in the middle of them

Isaac shook his head. "I got to go." Keane interrupted Isaac. "Would you follow? Come with me to Hyrule forest?"

"Keane …I'm sscared."

"It's okay, you know." Keane placed a comforting hand on Isaac's cold shoulder. "I know I have to do this alone, I just. I just wanted you to…" He shook his head unable to finish. "…listen, I know you're brave," Isaac meet Keane's tear stained eyes with his own. "You're not a frog _Isaac_. I guess… I just wanted you to see that too." He attempted a smile. "Just promise me you won't forget that you're brave."

Isaac stood still, unable to say anything as Keane took off. He watched Keane as he ran, not blinking or taking is eyes of off him until darkness had swallowed his figure.

As Keane disappeared, Isaac felt the tears that he tried to restrain tickle down his cheeks. He couldn't help but feel as helpless as he'd felt when he found out his father died. _Am I gonna let this happen again?_

Isaac shook his head out of frustration. He picked up a branch and threw it to the ground and stomped on it. He knew he had to do something, _but what…?_

Suddenly a horse and its rider approached him.

"Is it too late to join the fight?" The man asked. His face was concealed by a cloak.

Isaac had made his choice. He was not going to let his friend go out there all by himself. He didn't care if he was scared. _He knew he had to help because that was the right thing to do, damn it!_

"No sir," Isaac looked up at him, determination burning like an arising flame in his eyes. "But you better hurry, there are only the better ones left."

The man nodded. "Then that's where I belong." He got off his horse, and grabbed its reins. He began walking away, but stopped suddenly. He turned his head to look at Isaac and for a second or two no one said anything.

"Hey," The man broke the silence. "You wouldn't mind helping me with the horse?" For a moment Isaac though he saw a smile on the man's hidden face, but shook it off as mere imagination. He felt an impulsive stream of hot blood pump through his body. "No I don't mind, not at all."

Isaac had gotten the horse now. He watched the man walk silently down the hill, his cloak lingered behind him, but he did not look back once.

As he was gone Isaac looked at the huge thing by his side. _Okay…?_ He thought. _How do you get up on a horse? _

XxXxXx

Isaac was riding through the forest like a rushing arrow. The hooves of the horse thumped on the ground in a mixing rhythm with his heart. But he didn't need to duck form all the dry branches that hung in his path toward Keane, which, probably, was a good thing since he doubtingly could hold onto the horse and duck at the same time.

_Please don't tell me I'm too late… _Isaac wished upon the same thing the whole way through. If Keane had already left the village there was no way for Isaac to follow.

Isaac rode as fast as he could. He figured Keane would be easy to miss in the dark that now covered the forest and from the back of a horse. He saw him! He'd not yet gotten out. Isaac could barely contain his feelings and almost fell out of the big saddle, but managed to find his foothold in time to slow down the horse's quick pace.

Keane was standing by the wooden tunnel, the way out, scratching his head. A smile formed on Isaac's lips. "Hey, Keane? wouldn't you rather ride there? It could be far."

"You came!" Keane ran toward him. His eyes widened as he got up to Isaac. "I see you got a horse, I would ask you how you got it but I'm more interested in how you got up!" He laughed.

"I climed!" Isaac smiled proudly. "You sssee when the horse bends its head down to eat the grass, you climb onto its neck and all the way up!"

"Are you crazy?!"

Isaac smiled. "No, that's okay, I can help you." He reached down a hand.

With both now on the horseback, they marched up to the Kokiri guard who couldn't see very well over the high horse. Even though he squinted, Isaac and his friend were only vague impressions.

"Who's there?" He asked and Keane used his grownup voice to get past.

XxXxXx

They rode for what felt like hours, until, _finally_, the forest opened up in front of them. The forest was bigger than they'd ever imagined but also rather… empty. Nothing could be heard or seen as they traveled blind into the woods.

They were tired and afraid but were too close to give in. Besides they knew that by now all back home must have found out what they'd done. There was no way back.

Suddenly something in between the trees broke the silence. It screamed painfully and its yell echoed around them.

"Isaac, do you hear that?" Keane's voice came out as a whisper.

"Hmhm." Isaac nodded.

"Maybe it needs help?"

Isaac took a hold of himself, he had to be brave. "Let'ss find it."

As the noise became louder, it became harder to see through the close trees. The darkness turned heavier the closer they walked and soon the horse became reluctant to move forward. They decided walk the rest, leading the horse behind them.

They walked slowly with cautious steps only hearing the horse's hooves.

The boys' neared a thin patch of trees and saw some sort of dark figure crunched down by one of them. Clear yellow-white eyes pierced through the night. It was observing their every move.

Isaac could barely control his breath and also felt Keane breathing alongside his neck.

"Isaac," Keane murmured. "Stay here okay? I'm gonna go and look."

"Why should I sstay? I'll come too."

"No Isaac… it's…" He stopped himself. He knew he couldn't get Isaac to stay by telling him of the dangers that lurked behind the trees. He started over. "No you've gotta' stay cause I need you to hold this for me." He reached down his pocket and picked up the candle. "It's the key remember? We have to keep it safe."

Isaac looked at the blue candle in Keane's hand.

"Think you're brave enough?" Keane smiled blinking his eye.

"I promisssse."

Keane handed Isaac the candle. He held his hand around it as Keane lit it with a match. Hastily he turned, tearing as he stated walking, almost as if he knew what would happen. He bent over to pick up a thick branch from the ground and carefully continued walking toward the dark figure.

As Keane came closer he saw it size. It wore a cloak but its eyes hadn't changed they looked starving, craving more of Keane. The intensiveness of its stare frightened him watching him and just as he was backing off it rose to its feet sledging him over his face making him fly to the ground. He dropped the branch.

"Keaaane!" Isaac screamed but he was too frightened to move. His heart banged hard in his chest. He wanted nothing else but to help Keane but somehow his body wouldn't move. Tears ran down Isaac's cheek as the monster went after his friend. The creature's roar pierced through air and startled Isaac. He dropped what was in his hands and covered his ears as he felt a warm stream running down his leg, it made its way through his leggings.

_Her horse raced through the night, it jumped over a dead log whilst the moon highlighted sweat -pearls on the mares white neck… _

"Isaac!" Keane had lifted his head, still lying on his stomach. "The candle! Pick up the candle!"

_Her cloak billowed behind her as she leaned down to add more speed to her mare..._

Isaac looked down, the candle was laying on the ground still burning making the leaves fire up as flames started spreading, the heat blurred into the cold night air. In one rash movement, he stiffly bent down, quickly getting hold of the dark blue candle…

_The horse's heavy breath turned into crystal white air in the bitter night..._

…it felt cold against his hand. "Keane! Watch out! It almost got you!" Isaac's tears ran and just as his last word was spoken the great shade lifted his club above Keane's head…

_The horse's hoof-beats pounded in unison with her heavy heart as they dashed through the silent forest. Her hood flew off and her short hair soared in the wind…_

…in a flash it had hit Keane's back. The blood came searing down as the beast lifted his club.

Isaac's whole body just became empty as he saw the blood forced onto the wooden weapon…

_Impa spurred her mare to go faster… _

…it wasn't about courage any more, it wasn't about fear. It wasn't about anything, not anymore!

"Nooo! Leave him alone!" Isaac screamed with all his heart. He ran through the flames, toward the beast that'd now gotten sight of him. Isaac ran faster.

He wanted to kill it.

In his speed he picked up the branch thrown out of Keane's hands while holding the candle tightly in his other hand. The creature had charged his arm aiming to knock Isaac over but just as its claws met Isaac's cheek he drew the branch up its chest.

_Impa heard a heart piercing cry… _

The force that hit Isaac's cheek made him twist above the ground. The blood from his face oozed like a spray through the air. He held hard onto the candle, protecting it with his life as he knew Keane would have and as Keane had protected him.

Isaac's hand began to burn and the fire spread in around him as if it had a mind of its own, knowing exactly where to go. Isaac realized that the fire of the candle now protected him. Isaac had held the candle and as Keane lighted it, it began protecting Isaac.

_Impa saw with horror as blue light flickered in the darkness seeing how it spread around a vague figure. She steered the horse on toward the light…_

Weakened and lost in the force of the blow he saw as Zelda's magic blue flames made its way up to him as he span in the air. It felt as if timed had slowed in around him, a thumping noise bashed inside his head.

Impa watched as Isaac disappeared into the other realm through the flames, her eyes reflected the blue flames. Her hand had meet against the black bushes… she was too late.


End file.
